tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591Tue, 06 Mar 2018 11:10:51 +0000goalsfamily100 day challengelifekidspregnancythoughtspeanutbusinessparentingcleaningschoolhouseproduct reviewgodholidaysorganizationorganizingtsflworkbzzagentfriendsChristmasptaseasonsweddingweight losswinterbirthdaydatedecoratingdiymagazinespartyshoppingspringIce FestThanksgivingchoreshairice sculpturesnegative thinkingpositive thinkingsnowdeathdyefree printablesfreebieslightsmarketingmilestonesnegativityrecipessicksleep deprivationsnow daysuper bowlvalentine's dayThe Kramer MenagerieMy life, unhinged.http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)Blogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-5219303135702397795Sat, 24 Oct 2015 15:03:00 +00002015-10-24T11:03:08.476-04:00product reviewSecret Outlast® Completely Clean Clear Gel ReviewThere's no denying that Secret is a contender in the personal care world. I recently had a chance to try their new Outlast® Completely Clean Clear Gel antiperspirant &amp; deodorant. My initial reaction was fairly positive. It goes on smoothly and doesn't feel sticky after applying like some other clear gels I've tried. It held up pretty well to the initial outdoor test - no smells or wetness after a few hours outside in the heat. One thing I really liked about this specific deodorant is that there is no residue left on your clothes after applying (as long as you leave it dry first), so you don't get any white streaks when putting on your shirt. With that said, I wasn't fond of the burning sensation I got after shaving. It also took longer to dry than what the company advertised. When first put on, the smell is a little overwhelming but not bad once you get used it. (This may not be the kind to use if you're smell sensitive.) I used it continually for about a week and each day I spent time outside in the heat for about 4 hours. I found it didn't hold up as well as the initial time - there was definitely some odor and wetness. All in all it's descent but I didn't get a "wow" factor so I'll be sticking with my normal brand for now.<br /><br />Much love and many blessings,<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥<br /><br />Disclaimer: Although I was given a product to facilitate my review, all opinions and thoughts are 100% my own.http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2015/10/secret-outlast-completely-clean-clear.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-367695305373457247Fri, 10 Jul 2015 17:01:00 +00002015-07-13T21:01:12.524-04:00product reviewBaby Orajel Naturals Nighttime Teething Gel Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yfpiGY18c_U/VZ_3vA8adjI/AAAAAAAABcQ/2g4h8g7XoNM/s1600/Orajel%2BPackage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yfpiGY18c_U/VZ_3vA8adjI/AAAAAAAABcQ/2g4h8g7XoNM/s320/Orajel%2BPackage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was so excited to be picked for this mission as Lo has been teething for awhile. And she's incredibly cranky. She's really having a hard time with it. I seriously love this product! I've successfully used the original Baby Orajel in the past, but since adopting a more natural and holistic lifestyle, I really wanted to try something more natural to relieve her pain. She was inconsolable the other day while visiting my MIL and at the time, I didn't think about teething pain. When we got home and looked in her mouth, I could tell she was in pain from her top tooth just breaking the surface. I put some of the gel on her gums to help her sleep and within a minute she had calmed down and was ready for bed. She slept soundly through the night and woke up a happy baby. Each day that she's had pain from her teeth, I've given her the Baby Orajel Naturals Nighttime Formula and it's drastically comforted her. I highly recommend this product! Click on this link (</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://h5.sml360.com/-/10k98">http://h5.sml360.com/-/10k98</a>)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">&nbsp;for more information about this product and for a money saving coupon!&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Much love and many blessings,<br /><br />♥Courtney♥<br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Disclaimer: I received a free sample to facilitate my review; however, my opinions are 100% my own.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2015/07/baby-orajel-naturals-nighttime-teething.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-5570131999720633641Fri, 22 Aug 2014 10:23:00 +00002014-08-22T06:23:59.487-04:00familykidslifemilestonesparentingpeanutpregnancyschoolseasonsthoughtsA Moment Like ThisAs I woke up this morning, I had very bittersweet thoughts. Tomorrow our lives will forever be changed. We will go from a family of 5 to a family of 6, 3 of those members under the age of 3. This is the last full day I will ever feel a baby kick, roll, or move inside me. It's the last full day I will ever struggle to get down on the floor to play with Love Bug or Bug-A-Boo because we all know that getting back up is next to impossible when this pregnant. It's the last full day I will feel the weight of baby Willow pressing against my stomach oh so painfully. And while I am completely excited and grateful for what tomorrow holds, I'm also completely sad that this is an experience I will never have again. My pregnancies aren't easy by any stretch of the imagination and I'll admit that I complain--<i>a lot</i>--when I'm pregnant. But God gave women such an amazing blessing in the way we were made and today, I'm just realizing how much I've taken that for granted (pain, suffering, and all).<br /><br />Moving on to the family and general updates... Yesterday I was sitting on the couch watching Bug-A-Boo play with a truck and was just in awe of the difference between him and Love Bug. Not just a difference in their personalities and physical growth but differences in their likes and dislikes at this age. Bug-A-Boo is all boy. I don't really know how else to explain it other than he just loves playing with blocks and building towers, playing with cars, and throwing himself around or climbing all over everything. Love Bug at this age was more interested in playing with dolls, kitchen food, and her rock table. Physically, Bug-A-Boo walked before Love Bug and also has a mouth full of teeth, whereas Love Bug waited until 14 months to walk and still only had her 4 front teeth. She started talking much sooner than he, even though he tries so hard to form words and has since about a year. <br /><br />Bug-A-Boo started walking and hasn't stopped since (or so it seems)! He's still in that wobbly stage where he looks like a Weeble Wobble (but actually does fall down). He trips over his own feet constantly which makes me laugh, especially when he tries "run". He scares me half to death when he face plants on the couch, barely missing face planting on the floor by only an inch. He likes to knock things over (like our lamp) to see what happens and put toys inside other toys and objects to see if they fit.<br /><br />Little Love is starting 4th grade, <i style="font-weight: bold;">4th grade</i>, on Monday!&nbsp;I can't even believe it. Where did all the time go? I know I feel this way at the beginning of each year but this year I think it's hitting me a little harder knowing it's the first time I won't physically be here to see her off to school. It makes me incredibly grateful that the iPhone has FaceTime capabilities and that our hospital has WiFi access for their guests! She got to meet her teachers earlier this week and now that she has, she's excited to start school. Her teachers are nice and I think we're going to have a great year.<br /><br />That's about all I have for today so until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-moment-like-this.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-3545856123750281706Fri, 13 Jun 2014 20:12:00 +00002014-06-13T16:12:06.080-04:00cleaningdiyfree printablesfreebiesgoalshouseorganizationorganizingGetting OrganizedWith the impending arrival of Willow (and SUMMER!), I feel myself starting the "nesting" stage. I'm overwhelmed with wanting to organize every nook and cranny in my house as well as paint everything. I've come to realize in the past few months that my disorganization is very much rubbing off on my kids and I <i>really</i> don't like that. If I can't keep myself organized, how on earth can I honestly expect my children to be organized? Disorganization causes our family so much more stress than need be and it's time that stops!<br /><br />So, I decided to start with the biggest culprit--paperwork. We have an insane amount of paperwork coming into our home and not a lot of it seems to leave. This is actually the second goal in my organization plan (the first was creating meal plans &amp; grocery lists on a consistent basis which I will post about in the future). I find it difficult to find papers I need when I need them because of this. I do have what I believe is a decent filing system but I'm not great at keeping up with it--and therein lies the issue. First and foremost, I need to set aside time each day to go through and organize any paperwork from that day. If I can do that every day, it should never get overwhelming and take me hours to go through it. I recently had an <i>epiphany--</i><u>I don't need to keep everything</u>. I've always been the kind of person who keeps every single bank statement, receipt, explanation of benefits, etc. forever. I have banker's boxes downstairs with files from 10 years ago (I know...crazy and unnecessary)! So, I'm purging.<br /><br />And all that brings me to the reason for my post--implementing and using a family binder. I've been researching different ways to use these and what to include but haven't been able to find the "perfect" one to fit my family's needs. Along comes my crafty side--I decided to take the best of what I found and create my own. I started with the basics from <a href="http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/2013/07/make-a-family-binder/" target="_blank">Thirty Handmade Days</a>. She includes several free printable sheets including Babysitter Info, Health Insurance Info, Other Insurance Info, School Info, &amp; Utilities (this is one that will be incredibly beneficial for me) in her post and explains how she uses her family binder. I love her idea of having different sections and will definitely include some of those sections in my binder. (<i>Side note: if you have children, I highly recommend checking out the <a href="http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/2013/08/organization_tips_accountability_binder/" target="_blank">Accountability Binder</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/2013/07/school_binder_with_printables/" target="_blank">School Binder</a> posts. I'll be doing a blog post about these as well in the future.) </i>The next site I found is <a href="http://www.thepolkadotposie.com/" target="_blank">The Polka Dot Posie</a>. She includes a tab&nbsp;on her website with Home Planner &amp; Management pages as well as extras for seasons like Christmas and Thanksgiving, camping/vacations, and even has multiple sizes to fit existing planners (some free, some paid)! They're incredibly cute and I decided to use most of these since most of the work is already done for me and I really like the pattern. I just fill it out, pop it in my binder, and go. I did create a binder cover (printable <a href="https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?cid=1C2D8DA1340EA666&amp;resid=1C2D8DA1340EA666%211185&amp;app=WordPdf" target="_blank">here</a>), calendar for the remainder of the year (printable <a href="https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?cid=1C2D8DA1340EA666&amp;resid=1C2D8DA1340EA666%211187&amp;app=WordPdf" target="_blank">here</a>), and blog planner (printable <a href="https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?cid=1C2D8DA1340EA666&amp;resid=1C2D8DA1340EA666%211189&amp;app=WordPdf" target="_blank">here</a>) using a grey chevron pattern to match the rest her printables. I'm really excited and will do a future update on how this is working out for our family and any changes I make.<br /><br />Until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2014/06/getting-organized.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-1307545697940716273Mon, 09 Jun 2014 11:41:00 +00002014-06-09T07:42:14.447-04:00birthdayfamilygodkidslifeorganizationparentingpeanutpregnancythoughtsMastered Pregnancy Yet? Nope.. I have so many thoughts running through my mind today. From my pregnancy to how much my kids crack me up to holy cow I forgot to switch the diapers into the dryer! Speaking of pregnancy, you would think with this being my 6th pregnancy I would have it down pat by now. I do, for the most part. But there are still times when things catch me off guard. This pregnancy hasn't been too bad sans the sickness and earlier progression of gestational diabetes. Willow is moving and kicking all the time now and you can feel it much more from the outside in recent weeks. She's growing perfectly and one of our kids FINALLY cooperated for the 4-D ultrasound! I'm amazed at how much she looks like Trinity. It makes my heart melt every time I look at that picture. I'm so excited to meet her! We go back tomorrow for another ultrasound (one of the few positives of having GD) and I'm hoping we'll get another 4-D picture!<br /><br />As far as getting ready for her, I'm all over the place with decisions. Since we don't really have a separate sleep area yet for Willow, preparations haven't been quite as extensive for her arrival as with my other two. I'm still trying to figure out a suitable arrangement for her clothes and am debating if we can use the dressers we already have or if we'll need another dresser. That brings a whole other host of problems though like where on earth I'm putting another dresser! So for now, I'm mostly just working on getting her NB diaper stash together. I'm sewing at least half, if not more, of her diapers and ordered the rest. After a lot of thought and talks with Andy, we've decided to go the AIO route for her diapers since Trinity isn't showing ANY interest in potty training yet. :/ <i>Side note: AIO = All-in-One which is basically as close to a disposable as you get. </i>I've made 5 so far and am in love with them! (You can check them out and my other crafting endeavers at <a href="http://onmyneedles.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">On My Needles</a>.)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">I started this post weeks ago and never got around to finishing it but am going to do so today because it's a very special day. My one and only son is a full year old today! I just can't believe it! It's amazing and astounding that an entire year has gone by since meeting my little man. I absolutely love that his personality has really started coming alive the past few weeks. He laughs all the time when he's amused (he didn't used to) and is trying so hard to talk. When you ask him something, he actually responds like he's answering your question. He has the most expressive face and eyes. He loves to snuggle (most times) and wants to do everything that everyone else does. <3 access="" all="" at="" but="" can="" drive="" external="" hard="" here="" his="" i="" is="" moment.="" most="" my="" nbsp="" of="" on="" one="" p="" photos="" put="" re="" recent="" s="" shots:="" t="" that="" the="" they="" this="" unfortunately="" usually="" where="" year=""><br /></3><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vrwVeZZJz8w/U5WcugNuNNI/AAAAAAAABEs/aAyozGtHFrw/s1600/100_7730-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vrwVeZZJz8w/U5WcugNuNNI/AAAAAAAABEs/aAyozGtHFrw/s1600/100_7730-001.JPG" height="320" width="183" /></a></div><br /><br />Moving on to my other kiddos... Little Love is just about finished school. Her official last day is Friday and she's totally excited (as am I). We have about a week break before she leaves for Girl Scout camp, comes home, has her birthday party, and then leaves to visit her dad for the remainder of the summer. While I'm totally going to miss her while she's gone, I know she needs some time with her dad and future step-mom and -sister. She's totally excited to explore more of Seattle and I'm really excited for her. She's participating in character day on Monday and chose to be Hermoine from the Half-Blood Prince. I'm amazed at how she's taken to reading the Harry Potter series. She started reading them in September and read this last book in only a few weeks! I'm incredibly proud of her!<br /><br />I'm getting ready to start some lesson planning for Love Bug and am doing research on homeschooling in PA. Oh my is it overwhelming! I'd like to start some sort of "school" time with her this summer to get her (and Harrison) used to a scheduled, structured time for learning. She's already counting to 10 orally so I'm thinking we'll start there and work our way to recognition. She's also doing great with shapes (thank you Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!) so we'll continue building on those as well as introduce more reading time. This is definitely going to be a journey and one I'm nervous about since I have no formal instruction on teaching. PA has a TON of regulations when it comes to homeschooling and thankfully I don't have to start documentation until she turns 8. With that said though, I'm currently looking into creating a Homeschool Planner because I really think it will help keep me organized and things less chaotic. There's so many resources out there and trying to sift through them all has been challenging but I'm very excited God has blessed me with being able to dive into this adventure with my kids.<br /><br />Well that's all I have for today so until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><!--3--><!--3--><!--3--><!--3--></div></div>♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2014/06/mastered-pregnancy-yet-nope.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-4426459807919068876Thu, 01 May 2014 15:32:00 +00002014-05-01T11:32:18.461-04:00bzzagentproduct reviewQuaker(R) Warm & Crunchy Cranberry Almond Crunch ReviewIt's been a little while since I've posted a review or had something to review! My latest and greatest is something new from Quaker(R): Warm &amp; Crunchy Cranberry Almond Crunch cereal/oatmeal (I'm not really sure what category it's in).&nbsp;&nbsp;I love the flavor of oatmeal but not the texture.&nbsp;Let me start by saying, "<i>Oh man!"</i>&nbsp;The flavor of this is incredible! Quaker's(R) newest creation offers the best compromise! I sampled the cranberry almond and fell in love! All the packets were gone in a week--it's THAT good!<br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Because of my texture issues, I was really hesitant to join this campaign. I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor and texture. I actually tried this two different ways--the suggested way and cold, with just milk. I also experimented with the amount of milk added. All the ways were great! The flavor of cranberry, almond, &amp; granola was amazing and perfectly balanced, not too much of any one thing. I really enjoyed the amount of cranberries and almonds in each packet. The texture when heated was surprisingly crunchy, even after sitting for a little while (I got sidetracked so one of the times, it sat for about 30 minutes before I ate it). The cranberries add a nice chewiness while the almonds and granola give it a nice crunchiness. No matter how much or how little milk I added, it didn't change the texture of the oatmeal. The granola was more crunchy when I added cold milk but didn't heat it and was just as good as when heated! </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I really like how quickly this prepares. It's as simple as opening the package, pouring into a bowl, adding milk, and heating (or not!). All-in-all it's a 2 minute process from start to finish. The "hardest" part was getting the packages open! </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I would highly recommend this for those who are busy in the mornings and tend to grab fast food on the way to school or work. It's fast, satisfying, and delicious! &nbsp;</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div>♥Courtney♥ <br /><br /><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28.46875px;">Although I was given the opportunity to try these products for free as a BzzAgent, the above opinions and experiences are 100% mine. :-)</i>http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2014/05/quakerr-warm-crunchy-cranberry-almond.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-5260961045394432251Thu, 13 Mar 2014 17:18:00 +00002014-03-13T13:18:39.053-04:00diyfamilyhousekidslifespringTrying New ThingsMy goal as a mom and wife is to live as close to an eco-friendly life as possible on the small budget we have. That means making my own cleaners and eating organic, locally grown meats and vegetables whenever we can. That also means being creative with my meager budget. Pinterest. That's all I need to say. I seriously have a love affair. It's my go-to app when I have a question about how to do something or just need a little inspiration. I have a lot of pins, like almost two thousand a lot, but not enough time to devote to actually <i>making</i>&nbsp;most of them. This week I've decided I'm going to go for it! Pinterest has been my best friend when it comes to being an eco-friendly household, especially clean eating. Eating organic is expensive. There's just no way around that. One thing I'm doing to eat cleanly while still staying within our budget is making things myself. For example, this week I bought roasted peanuts and made my own peanut butter. I was a little hesitant about this endeavor because I have to be honest--peanut butter is something else I have a love affair with. I just don't like that commercially made ones, even all-natural ones, add more salt and sugar than what our bodies need. So I hit Pinterest to find a recipe. The first few I looked at needed additional oils which I didn't want and didn't have on hand so I kept looking. I finally found one that is just peanuts. That's it. Talk about simple! All you do is blend them in a food processor until it has a creamy consistency. Homemade peanut butter is a little different than the store kind of creamy because it's not <i>completely</i>&nbsp;smooth. And that's okay with me. I gave some to Little Love on her PBJ the other day and she was amazed at how much better it tasted. She loves it so much that she doesn't even want the jarred stuff anymore! Mom and Pinterest for the win!!<br /><br />Another thing our family eats a lot of is bread (probably more than we realistically should). If you check out the label on your bread, I would bet that there's at least 4 or 5 ingredients that you can't even pronounce let alone have any clue what they are or why they're there. That was another alarm bell going off in my head so instead of buying prepacked bread with preservatives and fake coloring, I'm making ours from scratch. I love knowing&nbsp;<i>exactly</i>&nbsp;what is going into my food and know that I can make it much healthier (and cheaper!) than what I buy at the grocery store. And 9 times out of 10, it tastes much better than the commercial item! These endeavors definitely take up a little more of my time, but it's worth it. I want to teach my children that convenience isn't always better. Now, I'm not saying that our family will never eat things that aren't homemade again because that would be unrealistic. But I'm definitely going to do my best to limit my family's unnecessary exposure to chemicals, "fake" ingredients, and preservatives.<br /><br />Two other projects I've tried recently is making my own detergent (different from my other posts) and deep cleaning the Pack N' Play we keep at my MIL's. I don't have pictures of either, unfortunately (I thought of that AFTER I was finished) but both projects turned out fantastically. In the powdered detergent version, I felt like my clothes weren't getting very clean and I suspect that the Fels Naptha isn't dissolving very well in cold water. We were still having problems with deodorant residue and food residue on the kids clothing. I went back to using Gain because I adore the scent, but really dislike the price (even with coupons) and all the added chemicals. It also wasn't getting my diapers very clean. I found a different version of laundry soap that uses the same ingredients as the powdered version, but you cook them instead. It's called <a href="http://www.budget101.com/myo-household-items/whipped-cream-super-laundry-soap-3993.html" target="_blank">Mom's Super Laundry Sauce</a>&nbsp;from Budget101.com. Yes, this version takes a few extra minutes but it is totally worth it! I've been using this version for about 3 weeks and couldn't be happier with it. The first load of laundry I tested it on was... You guessed it! Diapers! If it can't get diapers clean, then it's not worth my time or effort. Well, my diapers came out better than clean. They went back to being just like new!! I am stoked that there isn't anymore funky smell and I don't have to strip them again with bleach. This version has had no issues getting our clothes clean either. This particular recipe makes 1/2 gallon which equals 128 loads because it's super concentrated and you only need 1 TBS per load--yes, it really does work with only 1 TBS, even large loads (I use 1/2 TBS if I'm doing a small load). I definitely will not switch back to commercial! The next time I make it, I'm going to try adding some essential oils to give it a nice smell. Moving on to the Pack N' Play. We got this particular one for free and knew the minute we picked it up that it had been stored in a musty basement (possibly from smokers?). It was pretty dirty and smelled horrible. We tried cleaning it with cleaners, spraying it with lysol, using a steamer... Everything we could think of but the smell still lingered and it was still dingy. I really didn't like my kids playing in it (thankfully it's our spare). My great friend and fellow Pinterest lover sent me a link on how to deep clean it. I was ALL. OVER. THAT. I picked up the play yard from my MIL and went right to work. It was so easy to do and only used 1 cap of baby laundry soap (I used Gain because it's what I had on hand), 1/4 cup baking soda, and a splash of vinegar. It came out looking and smelling great! (Click<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/191825265352615600/" target="_blank"> this </a>for the instructions.)<br /><br />On to the family update:<br /><br />Bug is now almost 9 months old and still a total chunker! We finally got his acid reflux under control by switching his formula. It's to the point where he hasn't needed any acid reflux meds! Yay! He's finally starting to pull himself up onto his feet instead of to his knees and is crawling normally instead of army crawling. These both came about in the past week. I was getting worried about him not putting much weight on his legs or seeming disinterested in standing. The doctor said if he still isn't putting weight on them by his next check-up, then it was time for some physical therapy. I'm so happy that we don't have to go that route!<br /><br />Little Love is doing great and is loving 3rd grade. The amount of work she's doing this year compared to last has been shocking. She's had so many tests this year but has aced each of them. I'm so impressed and proud that she's gotten back into reading. I feel like she really lost her love for it last year but since starting the Harry Potter series in September, has rekindled it. She's read through the first four books since then and is stoked to be on the 5th one. I absolutely adore that she's a girl after my own heart! Now, I just have to teach her to knit... ;-)<br /><br />Love Bug just turned 2. I can't believe I'm saying, well typing, that! Two years old!! It feels like just yesterday I brought her home from the hospital and she was learning to roll over, crawl, and walk! She is such a bundle of joy and energy all the time. She's talking so much more than I remember Little Love doing at this age. I absolutely adore her antics and sweet nature. I also love that she's holding conversations with us. She says the funniest things and at the most inappropriate moments which makes what she says even more funny. One of my favorite phrases she's saying right now is, "Kristi! Kris! Mere!" (come here) while opening and closing both hands. She's so fascinated with everything. I forgot how much of a sponge they are at this age. Yesterday, we put a diaper on Nora and she kept lifting Nora's dress up to look at it, gasp, and put her hand over her mouth. Then she'd look at me. LoL! Right now, we're working on counting and numbers with her. She can mostly count to 10 but tends to skip 6.<br /><br />I'm so stoked that spring is almost here! We've had a few 50+ degree days here but the ground is still sopping wet so going outside to play with the kids hasn't been an option. After today's temp plummet, we're supposed to be going back into the 50's for a few days. I'm hoping that the ground will dry enough that we can take the kids to the park. Harry has yet to get on/in a swing. Speaking of spring... I'm finally going to try my hand at gardening. Nothing too major, just lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes--my staple salad fixings. I've been wanting to try for years but have been hesitant due to my lack of green thumb (I've killed every house plant I have ever owned!). From what I read, these are some of the easiest veges to start with so we'll see how it goes. We're planning to purchase a <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Greenland-Gardener-42-in-x-42-in-Raised-Bed-Garden-Kit-105981/203139762" target="_blank">42 in. x 42 in. raised bed from Home Depot</a>&nbsp;and place it on the right side of the house. I read a few articles on how to start your plants inside using newspaper and this method helps with better growing plants. This is just another way that I can help skim some from our grocery budget, eat healthier, and be more "green".<br /><br />Well that's it for today. Until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2014/03/trying-new-things.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-1731863028275414464Fri, 06 Sep 2013 11:04:00 +00002013-09-06T07:05:45.781-04:00familygoalsgodkidslifenegative thinkingparentingpositive thinkingptathoughtsCounting My BlessingsAs I sit here with my pumpkin coffee, I can't help but count my blessings. As I was going through my day yesterday, I realized that while my life may sometimes feel like a train wreck, though it may sometimes be painful, I have <i>so much</i>&nbsp;to be thankful for. I have a beautiful home even though it's almost always a mess. I have a vehicle to take me wherever I want to go. I have 3 amazing children who I couldn't possibly love more. I have the most wonderful husband I could ever ask for. But most of all, I have a Lord who has blessed me beyond words and sometimes, I forget that. I admit it. There are times when I forget just how awesome and amazing God is!<br /><br />I want to talk about my husband for a minute. We've shared our laughter, tears, joys, sorrows, and love for the past 6 1/2 years, 2 1/2 of those being married. I know it sounds cliche but I fall more in love with him everyday. He provides for our family so I can stay home and raise our children. He comes home after a long, tiring, and stressful day at work and helps me with dinner and the kids. He takes out the trash for me. He lets me have a kid-free evening to sit at Panera and knit with friends. He watches our children so I can volunteer with the PTA. There's a million other things that he does for us that I don't even know about because he chooses to do them without recognition. I am amazed everyday at the unconditional love he has shown, is showing, and will continue showing me until death do us part. I don't always remember to tell him how much I appreciate everything he does for our family and I don't always remember to be kind.<br /><br />As I was sitting at Panera last night, we had a discussion on how we as wives aren't always kind to our husbands. Even though we may be joking at times, the words we say and how we say them can come across as biting or even downright mean. I have found myself being more knit-picky and annoyed with little things since Harrison has been born. After that conversation, I decided I'm going to find only positive things to say to my husband. I'm honestly curious how much better this will make our relationship and help our communication.<br /><br />Now that all the sappy stuff is out of the way, here's the low-down at the Kramers over the past few months. At the beginning of June, Harrison was born. The transition of going from 2 to 3 kids was much harder than I anticipated. We had a lot of feeding issues in the first month and a half and it's was pretty crazy and stressful in our house (hence why you're only now getting an update). Since then, my Little Love has started 3rd grade (<i>3rd grade!!</i>) and is enjoying every minute of it! Things are starting to settle down and become more routine like now and I'm thankful for that. For awhile there, I thought I might pull all my hair out! It's been a roller coaster of emotions but I'm enjoying every minute of it; and yes, even those pull-out-my-hair and sobbing times!<br /><br />On that note, I'm off to get my Little Love up for school. Next time, I'll update with some pictures. Until then, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/09/counting-my-blessings.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-6515119777529283891Tue, 20 Aug 2013 20:10:00 +00002013-08-20T16:10:51.527-04:00bzzagentproduct reviewLysol(R) Power & Free(TM) Review<img alt="" src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/lysolPower.jpg?Type=activity&amp;Activity=8631916148&amp;Campaign=4343818970&amp;Uid=1398686&amp;token=5f270d08afadbeb790c0d097c9f9c497" /><br /><br />I used the wipes and cleaner on multiple surfaces and rooms in my home. The packaging on both products is very nice and eye-catching. The advertising of the smell and hydrogen peroxide activation was the first thing that caught my eye. The wipes container was very easy to open, and the center wipe was easy to find and thread, unlike many other brands I've tried in the past. The spray bottle was very easy to use as well. The nozzle has an on/off feature for safety that I really like and the trigger is easy to squeeze. My initial thoughts on the line are positive. I hadn't used either product before but have experiences with other Lysol products so I had very high hopes for this line.<br /><br />I used the wipes first, specifically in my kitchen on the island. My initial reaction was the smell. I really didn't like the smell of the wipes as it was more chemical than I had anticipated. It did a very good job of cleaning the island which had some stuck on food and residue (specifically flour and dough from making stromboli). I did have to scrub some to get the food off, but it still did a good job cleaning. I really like that the wipe didn't leave any residue. The next place I used the wipe was on the kitchen sink. This is an area of my kitchen that gets used constantly; therefore, always needs some additional attention. It did a good job cleaning and disinfecting the sinks. I didn't have to use too much force or pressure to get them clean. Since the wipes don't leave residue, I think these wipes would be great to use on childrens' desks in classrooms.<br /><br /><br />After being pretty happy with the wipes, I couldn't wait to try the spray! I first used it in the bathrooms on the sinks and toilets. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and pleased with the results and ease of use! My initial reaction to the smell was amazing (and wishing the wipes smelled the same!). The citrus scent is light and clean, not at all chemical-like. I liken it to the smell of a plug-in. The spray gives nice coverage when held about 12 inches away (I didn't try it any closer). I had some toothpaste stuck on the faucet of the kids bathroom and contact solution on the sink in my bathroom. I let the spray sit for about a minute and everything wiped off incredibly easy. I didn't have to use any force and very minimal pressure. (I used an old cloth diaper prefold as my rag.) I really like that the spray covers well, doesn't foam, and smells wonderful. I don't feel like I have to air out the house when using it and it's safe to use around the kids. The next place I used the spray was in the kitchen on the counters and sink. It did a really great job cleaning both areas. Again, I didn't have to scrub or apply a lot of pressure to get them clean. My only negative experience with the spray is when used on stainless steel sinks, it leaves a film. What I mean by this is that the sink is left looking dull. Normally when using other cleaners, my sink is pretty shiny. I don't know if that has something to do with a chemical found in those other cleaners but I have to be honest and say that it really doesn't bother me so much that I wouldn't continue using it.<br /><br />Here's the before and after shots of my kitchen sink:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hGUGypMv9LA/UhPNCedeoJI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/Qb-G3mPFWS0/s1600/Sink-Before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hGUGypMv9LA/UhPNCedeoJI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/Qb-G3mPFWS0/s640/Sink-Before.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vym2UDCJhCw/UhPNFGLqeEI/AAAAAAAAAaY/4p9Gha_vIoc/s1600/Sink4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vym2UDCJhCw/UhPNFGLqeEI/AAAAAAAAAaY/4p9Gha_vIoc/s640/Sink4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />All in all I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with this line and will definitely continue using it! <br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥<br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 28.46875px;"><i>Although I was given the opportunity to try these products for free as a BzzAgent, the above opinions and experiences are 100% mine. :-)</i></span>http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/08/lysolr-power-freetm-review.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-5307851860117654445Fri, 24 May 2013 13:14:00 +00002013-05-24T09:14:03.294-04:00datefamilyfriendskidsparentingpeanutpregnancyNews & UpdatesI can hardly believe that today I'm 37 weeks and considered full-term! This pregnancy has definitely been more difficult than with Love Bug. At 33 weeks I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes again (I had it with Love Bug). This time around it's been different in that my sugars aren't being controlled as well with just my diet, especially my fasting sugars. Because of that, I started taking Glyburide (the lowest dose) and that seems to be helping. The side effects suck but it's either that or I have to inject insulin and that's not even an option! Squish has been perfectly on target size wise so my doctors aren't overly concerned that my sugars haven't been perfect. I did find out that part of the reason for the higher numbers is my use of antacids (my heartburn is <i><u><b>RIDICULOUS</b></u></i> this time around) and my use of cough medicine for the cold I've had for the past 2 weeks. I started taking Zantac a few days ago so I'm hoping that will help with the heartburn so I can use less antacids.<br /><br />It's been pretty busy around here the past month trying to get ready for Squish's arrival. We still have so much to do (at least it feels that way) but everything is starting to come together. We're hoping to have the nursery finished the first weekend in June. We purchased all the paint for it last weekend so hopefully we can hire our friend to paint it by then. I'm not too worried about it since he won't be sleeping in his own room for at least a week or two anyway. I've gotten all his clothes we currently have washed and put away. I know I'll have more to do this weekend since our baby shower is tomorrow which I'm totally okay with. I'm hoping we get some larger sized clothes since we already have a bunch of NB stuff. Since he'll be born in the summer, he'll mostly be wearing onsies anyway. Speaking of the baby shower; I'm going to go off topic here for a minute. I'm really excited to get together with everyone. I feel like time just flies and gets lost a lot lately and I don't get to spend much time with friends or even my family. It's going to be so nice seeing everyone. :-) So back to prepping... In a previous post, I talked about flipping the girls rooms so that Love Bug and Squish would share a room and Kristi would have her own room. After doing that, I really struggled with the configuration of all the furniture needing to fit in the littles' room and am still struggling with the idea of having them in there together. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking it's not such a great idea. Love Bug is pretty much on a set schedule and does so well with sleep. I honestly don't know if she would do well with a screaming infant in the middle of the night, multiple times a night. Andy and I talked a lot about it earlier this week and we're thinking that having the girls share a room for now is going to be the best option, at least until Squish gets on some semblance of a sleep schedule that is similar to Love Bug's. <i>Side note: we probably should have had this in our minds when building our house</i>. Anyway... this weekend is going to be so busy getting the rooms moved around...AGAIN. Little Love is really excited about the move though so that makes it better.<br /><br />The last part of prepping involves finishing Squishes diapers. I've got 9 of 12 finished and the more I do them, the faster and easier it is. Depending how long it takes me to get these last few finished, I may bump up and do 18. Thankfully, Andy's mom lent me her sewing machine since mine's acting out and I don't have the time or patience to get it looked at right now. Her sewing machine is sooooooo nice (and I'm totally jealous because I seriously WANT one!). Enough on that though... You can read more about those adventures on my <a href="http://onmyneedles.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/winged-pre-folds/" target="_blank">crafting blog</a>.<br /><br />On other fronts, last weekend we celebrated Andy's birthday, our anniversary, and our friends' birthday with our really good friends, the Wilts. The boys really wanted to see Star Trek (as did I) so we saw that in the early afternoon and then went to Aki for dinner. It was an amazingly awesome time and we had so much fun! We were supposed to go see Iron Man 3 after that but I couldn't get a sitter for Love Bug so we decided to stay in as a group and hang. I actually went to bed at like 8:30 because I was so exhausted while everyone else watched movies downstairs. It was so nice to spend time together, especially since I know that soon we won't have these opportunities very often.<br /><br />Well, that's about all I have for today. I've got lots to do so I better get to it! Until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/05/news-updates.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-5070058774150290867Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:58:00 +00002013-04-12T09:04:50.802-04:00My Crazy Hair DaysTrinity has had a head full of hair since birth. We gets all kinds of crazy comments whenever we're out about it. I typically put it up in a Pebbles pony or high back pony to keep it out of her face. Unfortunately, it doesn't always stay that way since she loves to play with her hair and pull the hair ties out. Yesterday, I had the idea of using a headband, just to see if she'd let it in. I'm actually quite surprised that she only took it out 3 times yesterday. Here's my favorite shot of the day of her in it and some other shots from a few days ago. <br /><br /> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N_dVWXGtF1U/UWf227EUNqI/AAAAAAAAAX8/0AY20Mu-RVc/s640/blogger-image-263309447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N_dVWXGtF1U/UWf227EUNqI/AAAAAAAAAX8/0AY20Mu-RVc/s640/blogger-image-263309447.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-z2XGJp7nDQM/UWgGHmht-_I/AAAAAAAAAYM/ZiI3ktrhRr0/s640/blogger-image--1142294094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-z2XGJp7nDQM/UWgGHmht-_I/AAAAAAAAAYM/ZiI3ktrhRr0/s640/blogger-image--1142294094.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-M-RReNgXs6s/UWgGJLe_WII/AAAAAAAAAYc/u0iGDE4v_ng/s640/blogger-image-1861127861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-M-RReNgXs6s/UWgGJLe_WII/AAAAAAAAAYc/u0iGDE4v_ng/s640/blogger-image-1861127861.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rE_3NnNmsPw/UWgGIeB-HXI/AAAAAAAAAYU/Hc22JD2VC7k/s640/blogger-image-2146373032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rE_3NnNmsPw/UWgGIeB-HXI/AAAAAAAAAYU/Hc22JD2VC7k/s640/blogger-image-2146373032.jpg" /></a></div>http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-crazy-hair-days.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-3541206352868782293Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:55:00 +00002013-03-28T13:55:10.355-04:00Love Bug's 1-yearLove Bug turned a year in February but just now had her 1-year check-up. She unfortunately didn't get to see her normal doctor because of rescheduling the appointment since I was sick at the beginning of March but the doctor she had was incredibly nice and helpful. Since Love Bug's birth, she has had dry patches on her skin. We thought it was psoriasis since Andy has it but the doctor said it's more in line with eczema. We have to start using either Eucerin or Cetaphil on her skin 3 times a day. Hm... not sure how that's going to work since she's so squirmy! She hasn't gained as much weight since her last check-up which we're attributing to being more active. She weighed in at 22.5 pounds and measured 29 3/4" long! The doctor says she looks perfect! :-) We're just about finished weaning her off of formula which is definitely a blessing! (I'm praying that I can nurse Harrison the whole time because formula is soooo expensive!) The only bad part of her appointment was she had to get 4 shots. Needless to say, she was <i>not</i>&nbsp;a happy camper when that was over! Other than that, she did great and was&nbsp;surprisingly&nbsp;calm the rest of the day.<br /><br />I am amazed more and more every day at how quickly she is growing and learning! She's starting to walk a little. I think she still prefers to mostly crawl, but last night she actually took about 6 steps without holding on to anything. She's been getting more and more daring with this in the past week. Here's a short clip of her last night:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/AqHuSbNfSWs?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br />Since her first birthday, I've started teaching her a little sign language to help her communicate her wants and needs. She's been doing "more" and "please" a lot and I introduced "eat" to her last week. She finally is starting to put everything together. She'll sign "more", then say "please?" (although it sounds more like <i>peas</i>), and then say "thank you" once you give her what's she asking for. So far, it's mostly pertaining to food but I'm sure she'll start using them in other ways soon. She's became very verbal in the past few weeks and can say a lot of words to help communicate what she wants. I have to be honest--it's so nice. I honestly don't remember Little Love being quite this verbal this young. I have a feeling that her sissy is really helping Love Bug want to communicate. They are just so sweet together and inseparable.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4jEWBjNdo18/UVRXpzp-XVI/AAAAAAAAAXs/asTtc4JWbNI/s1600/530085_10104224544331184_1475479021_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4jEWBjNdo18/UVRXpzp-XVI/AAAAAAAAAXs/asTtc4JWbNI/s320/530085_10104224544331184_1475479021_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br />Little Love is doing great as well. Her last report card was amazing and as a special surprise for doing so well, we got a Girl Scout outfit from Build-A-Bear for Dooda. She was ecstatic! I'm really glad she liked it because I was a tad worried she wouldn't with how her first meeting went. She has her second meeting tonight so hopefully she'll get a better sense of things and enjoy herself.<br /><br />Sometimes I feel as though I live in an insane asylum. My days are a whirlwind of activity and half the time I can't believe it's the end of the day! Where does all the time go?! I'm convinced a little monster hides in my house and when I'm not looking, sucks all the time away! Anyway... I have some serious time management issues. It's definitely never been my strong suite but since Love Bug's birth, I just feel as though it's gotten worse. I've gotten better in the past month or so but adding another baby into the mix is definitely giving me some concerns. I just keep praying every day that God helps me stay on task and get the things done that need done and to shy away from those that distract me. On that note, I better go get some stuff done while Love Bug is sleeping.<br /><br />Until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/03/love-bugs-1-year.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-2396397554634015535Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:46:00 +00002013-03-16T08:48:08.370-04:00businessfamilygoalskidslifepeanutpregnancyworkExpansionOur little family is really starting to expand, in every sense of the word. We started with just Little Love and I, then added Andy, then Love Bug, and now little Harrison is on the way. I'm scared... This pregnancy caught us so off-guard and it's been a whirlwind of overwhelming since. I'm not necessarily saying that's a bad thing; it's just...different. I know nothing about little boys. I think that's what's the most disconcerting.<br /><br />Expansion is usually positive in the sense that things are growing, whether it be family, business, etc. Just in the past week, we've purchased a new vehicle, Little Love started Girl Scouts, and I added a new member to my Thirty-One team! After finding out we were pregnant with Harrison, we knew we needed a larger vehicle. A Hyundai Elentra and PT Cruiser just can't handle 3 children in car seats. We were originally thinking of purchasing a smaller SUV because I've always been stone cold set on NOT having a mini-van! Well, after looking at prices and sizes, we got a mini-van. Although there's really nothing mini about it. It's an 07' Dodge Grand Caravan. I've always owned small vehicles so driving this monster has been interesting to say the least. So far, I'm really happy with our purchase and our growing family has plenty of space now so hopefully we won't feel like sardine's when we head to the beach this year!<br /><br />Little Love had her first Girl Scouts meeting this past Thursday. I'm not sure she knows exactly how she feels about it yet. She did say that she was disappointed because she thought that they'd be going camping and having s'mores and doing that kind of stuff. I tried to tell her that this is her first time and those things will be coming up, just not today. LoL! I'm a little nostalgic heading into the weekend because I'll be&nbsp;visiting&nbsp;the 4-H store where I used to shop for my patches and Girl Scout items to get Little Love's vest and patches. I can't wait to see her in her "uniform"!<br /><br />Thirty-One has been pretty steady so far this year. My goal for this year is to grow my team. I would realistically like to have 4 girls under my lead by the end of August. I'm not sure how feasible that is since Harrison will be born in June, so June, July, and most of August will be consumed with adjusting to life with a new baby plus a toddler and not-so-little kid! I'm definitely going to try though. I've pretty much mapped out my game plan for the coming month's of what I'd like to have happen so we'll see how it all falls in to place. My first recruit signed up yesterday and I'm totally stoked about that! She's going to be a <i>fantastic</i>&nbsp;consultant! Now comes the learning process for me of being a mentor. :-)<br /><br />Well, that's about all I have for now. I'm going to get ready for the day before Love Bug makes her appearance. Until next time, much love and many blessings!!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/03/expansion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-8417634474487160327Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:58:00 +00002013-03-05T11:59:45.555-05:00bzzagentproduct reviewSchick Hydro Silk Razor Review<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/schick.jpg?Type=activity&amp;Activity=4071373358&amp;Campaign=8549941007&amp;Uid=1398686&amp;token=15b1bbccffd1690b14e5e70e3f68d3a5" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have to be honest and say that I was very skeptical when signing up for this campaign. I have pretty much tried any and all razors out there, including men's, and always have the same result: my skin is irritated afterwards no matter how much shaving cream or lotion I use and my hair grows back by the end of the day. I was pleasantly surprised with this razor! Not only was shaving with cream not necessary (although the company recommends it), the moisture strips actually continue to moisturize for hours after shaving! The result: less shaving for me, more confidence in wearing sleeveless tops, and soft, smooth skin!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After taking the razor out of the package, the first I noticed was the handle design. The head is slightly raised so when laying it on a flat surface, the razor head doesn't touch the surface; thus, keeping your moisture strip intact much longer than with traditional razors. The head snaps in place and is removed very easily and quickly when a new cartridge is needed. The package I received came with a suction cup shower holder so I can keep it out of my LO's reach--always a positive!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The first area I tested this on was my underarms. I have always struggled with dry, irritated, and bumpy skin that has a 5-o'clock shadow within hours after shaving. Shaving is usually painful, even when using a new razor, because of the bumpiness. This razor has worked wonders on my skin! Not only did I not need shaving cream, but the moisture strips continued moisturizing after I shaved. It's incredible and I love that the 5 blades get an incredibly close shave. Since using this razor, I no longer have to shave my underarms everyday or multiple times a day. I can actually go every other day!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The next area I tested was my calves. We all know how winter is and shaving just really isn't a priority, at least not in my book. Again, dry, irritated skin is a culprit of mine but after using this razor on my underarms, I was excited to try it on my legs. I definitely was not disappointed! It had the same effect on my legs and even after 3 days of shaving, there still was no stubble!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have to admit that I'm totally hooked on this razor! I'm not usually one for cartridge-type razors because they're just as expensive if not more than disposable ones but it's totally worth it in my opinion. I still have some coupons left so if you'd like to try it yourself, let me know!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Until next time, much love and many blessings!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>♥Courtney♥<br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 28.46875px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although I was given the opportunity to try these products for free, the above opinions and experiences are 100% mine. :-)</span></span>http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/03/schick-hydro-silk-razor-review.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-8624233474047942212Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:28:00 +00002013-03-02T10:28:47.728-05:00bzzagentproduct reviewGarnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Miracle Dry Oil Reivew<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/tripleNutritionOil.jpg?Type=activity&amp;Activity=0606756736&amp;Campaign=2222899272&amp;Uid=1398686&amp;token=e6dc53e141c85b58c7536aff0dc7ebc3" /></div><br />My newest BzzAgent campaign is for Garnier Fructis. They've come out with a new, multi-purpose dry oil for your hair, body, and face. Their claim is that this is the first product of its kind that is mass marketed at retailers like Target, Wal-Mart, etc. It is supposed nourish your hair and skin without an oily residue and absorb quickly. Here's my opinion:<br /><br />I was very excited to try this because I constantly deal with dry skin, including on my scalp. Lotions help a little but not to the extent I would like. When my package arrived in the mail (which was incredibly fast--way to go BzzAgent!), I immediately opened it. The packing is very nice and eye catching. The first thing I did was read the directions as I've never used an oil like this before. After that, I opened the cap to smell it (I'm not a big fan of using products that smell like chemicals). The smell is incredibly light, refreshing, and not at all chemical-like. That's pretty much where my positive experience ends.<br /><br />I first areas I tested the oil on was my hands and arms. It absorbed very quickly into my arms, didn't leave a greasy feeling afterwards, and left a sun-kissed sheen on my skin. My hands, unfortunately, were a different story. They felt greasy and the oil didn't seem to absorb at all, even after washing my hands.<br /><br />The next area I tested was my face. I have combination dry/oily skin so I only used the oil on the dry areas. As per the directions, I put some in the palm of my hand and used my fingertips to spread it on the dry areas. The first thing I noticed was that it feels really good and smells wonderful, The oil did not absorb well into my skin no matter how much I massaged and made my face feel like a grease ball the rest of the day. My face felt like I had been out in the sun and sweating.<br /><br />The next part of testing was on my dry hair. I flipped my head upside down, sprayed on a little, and ran my fingers through it to evenly coat my hair. It did made my hair shiny but soon looked and felt greasy. My hair looked really dirty. I thought it may just be a fluke since I hadn't washed my hair that morning so I next tried it on clean, damp hair. I styled as usual and noticed the same thing happened. The roots of my hair looked and felt very greasy, like it hadn't been washed in weeks, but the rest of my hair looked shiny. <br /><br />All-in-all, I'm not a very big fan of this dry oil. I would use it on my body but that's it. I don't like my skin, especially my face, or hair to look or feel greasy.<br /><br />Until next review time, much love &amp; many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥<br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28.46875px;">Although I was given the opportunity to try these products for free, the above opinions and experiences are 100% mine. :-)</span>http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/03/garnier-fructis-triple-nutrition.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-5159306042863833650Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:37:00 +00002013-02-27T16:37:30.339-05:00bzzagentproduct reviewGlade Expressions Collection ReviewAs some of you know, I signed up a few months ago to be a BzzAgent after a friend of mine told me about it. They give you products to try and you then submit reviews and campaign activities. This is my second campaign and my first blog post about it. As I review more products, I'll be sharing them here with you since my blog is all about me and my family life. So here goes!<br /><br /><img alt="" src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/glade.jpg?Type=activity&amp;Activity=2768974194&amp;Campaign=0218783550&amp;Uid=1398686&amp;token=0e2d5508b60fdd71766e07c64d9b3fca" /><br /><br />The Glade Expressions Collection consists of the oil diffuser and fragrance mist spray. I'm going to review each separately because I have very differing opinions about them.<br /><br />I chose the lavendar &amp; juniper scent for the oil diffuser. The oil container and diffuser come separately but snap together very quickly and easily. The scent is very pleasant and quickly radiates throughout the room. I chose to test mine on the upper level of our bi-level by setting it on the kitchen windowsill. It makes a very pretty decor accent and would fit in with most any decor. That's about where the positives end, unfortunately. The scent was incredibly overwhelming the first day, so much so that it gave me a headache (even though I really liked the scent). The second and third days were much better and I really enjoyed the scent every time I would walk into the room. Unfortunately, by the end of the first week, the smell was practically non-existent. The company claims that the scent should last for about 30 days but it definitely didn't. For that reason, I was really disappointed in it, especially for the price point. Even though I tested the product for free, I would definitely not pay the recommended selling price for it.<br /><br />I chose the pineapple &amp; mangotessen scent for the fragrance mist and couldn't be happier with it. I am a total sucker for home scent products, especially air fresheners/sprays. Having a baby can definitely cause a room to smell, even with pails like a Diaper Genie(R). When changing the liner for Love Bug's cloth diapers, it makes the entire room stink horribly for hours afterwards! I have yet to find a product that actually removes the stink until now. The last time I changed her pail, I immediately grabbed the fragrance mist and sprayed it 3 times. Within about 10 seconds, the smell was completely gone! I went back into her room a few hours later just to see if the smell had returned and it hadn't. All I could smell was my tropical oasis. At that moment, I was totally sold! This has also worked wonders when changing the kitchen trash and bathroom visits. I have been using this every chance I get since being pregnant has blessed me with a smell sensitivity. The bottle is very nicely designed, sleek and slim. I really like that I can reuse the bottle by purchasing refills--less waste. The price point on this product is very reasonable and I would happily pay the recommended selling price! There are many different scents (although my store only had 1 available at the time) that I would like to try. All in all, the fragrance mist definitely gets 5 stars in my book!<br /><br />If you'd like to try either of these products as well, let me know because as a BzzAgent, I also get a bunch of coupons to share with family and friends!<br /><br />Have any of you tried either of these products? If so, what do you think? Let me know in the comments below!<br /><br />Until next time, much love &amp; many blessings!<br /><br />♥Courtney♥<br /><br /><br />P.S. Although I was given the opportunity to try these products for free, the above opinions and experiences are 100% mine. :-)http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/02/glade-expressions-collection-review.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-1491016049360060215Sat, 23 Feb 2013 17:34:00 +00002013-02-23T12:35:30.774-05:00birthdayIce Festice sculptureskidslifepregnancyIce Fest & BirthdaysWe've had some amazing things going on since my last post. Earlier this month, we went to Ice Fest in downtown Chambersburg, a yearly tradition for our family since moving here 2 years ago. It's a great little festival that has food and drink and lots of ice sculptures. Many of the downtown businesses&nbsp;sponsor&nbsp;the sculptures and it's so much fun seeing all the&nbsp;creativity! I lost count of how many we saw but it spans the main square and a block on either side. There was even an ice slide that kids could sled down. Although it was&nbsp;ridiculously&nbsp;cold, we all had a really great time!<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FpA0_w93DGI/USjxRhxsvfI/AAAAAAAAAV0/3TAe-v323bA/s1600/IceFest1-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FpA0_w93DGI/USjxRhxsvfI/AAAAAAAAAV0/3TAe-v323bA/s320/IceFest1-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FgcIruntpZE/USjxSw_AGfI/AAAAAAAAAV8/0vExv2qOH3Q/s1600/IceFest3-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FgcIruntpZE/USjxSw_AGfI/AAAAAAAAAV8/0vExv2qOH3Q/s320/IceFest3-001.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">(I'll update later with some more pictures once I get them off my camera.)</div></div><div><br /></div><div>The weekend after Ice Fest was Love Bug's baby dedication at church and her first birthday party. The dedication was amazing and made me realize just how much our little girl is loved. We had so many friends and family take part in her special day! When Little Love was a baby, my mom crocheted an amazing christening gown for her dedication. I'm so thankful it was able to fit Trinity as well! It was an incredible blessing to share that with both of my children and is a beautiful piece of our family that will be passed down for many generations. :-)&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-StN3tiDmRlU/USjyEgAahoI/AAAAAAAAAWE/bFKgEp93J3U/s1600/DSC_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-StN3tiDmRlU/USjyEgAahoI/AAAAAAAAAWE/bFKgEp93J3U/s320/DSC_0062.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our loving family all praying over Trinity</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fBydB8P5kCw/USjyFyo1D8I/AAAAAAAAAWM/2BsAUxSh-j8/s1600/DSC_0064-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fBydB8P5kCw/USjyFyo1D8I/AAAAAAAAAWM/2BsAUxSh-j8/s320/DSC_0064-001.JPG" width="279" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After church, we all went back to our house for a light lunch, partying, presents, and cake. I was so anxious to see what she was going to do with the cake! I think she was a little overwhelmed at all the attention she was getting but she fared well and had a great time.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Bgo2F81UFY/USjzYVq90WI/AAAAAAAAAWU/9NQDPbLCTYk/s1600/DSC_0072-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Bgo2F81UFY/USjzYVq90WI/AAAAAAAAAWU/9NQDPbLCTYk/s320/DSC_0072-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The beginning of the party</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DkgGYb1L8U8/USjzcXoc3MI/AAAAAAAAAWk/nUi9b0RpGg4/s1600/DSC_0078-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DkgGYb1L8U8/USjzcXoc3MI/AAAAAAAAAWk/nUi9b0RpGg4/s320/DSC_0078-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Friends and Family ♥</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8UMGsTlYJXs/USjzb6MJlcI/AAAAAAAAAWc/bdxZ_VDHnUw/s1600/DSC_0083-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8UMGsTlYJXs/USjzb6MJlcI/AAAAAAAAAWc/bdxZ_VDHnUw/s320/DSC_0083-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_WMz8e_EVn8/USjzdPiF-EI/AAAAAAAAAWo/NwKjr5jvuqk/s1600/DSC_0088-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_WMz8e_EVn8/USjzdPiF-EI/AAAAAAAAAWo/NwKjr5jvuqk/s320/DSC_0088-001.JPG" width="202" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFsUjmAeOIA/USjzhIcpbGI/AAAAAAAAAW4/D53UBAOtGm0/s1600/DSC_0091-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFsUjmAeOIA/USjzhIcpbGI/AAAAAAAAAW4/D53UBAOtGm0/s320/DSC_0091-001.JPG" width="244" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VVhSYEuNEk4/USjzhif78UI/AAAAAAAAAXA/XZIuBTaegAc/s1600/DSC_0095-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VVhSYEuNEk4/USjzhif78UI/AAAAAAAAAXA/XZIuBTaegAc/s320/DSC_0095-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The bag was as big as her!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5U_UpXM_2DU/USjzhC-p6rI/AAAAAAAAAW0/jJLhUbz3A4M/s1600/DSC_0101-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5U_UpXM_2DU/USjzhC-p6rI/AAAAAAAAAW0/jJLhUbz3A4M/s320/DSC_0101-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beautiful and YUMMY cake!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSAg3glywMo/USjzkCtBjlI/AAAAAAAAAXM/06wqSVf23I8/s1600/DSC_0106-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSAg3glywMo/USjzkCtBjlI/AAAAAAAAAXM/06wqSVf23I8/s320/DSC_0106-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It took about 10 minutes to get her hands fully in it.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uhS32q8Ffps/USjzk-1U4iI/AAAAAAAAAXU/vclxATaLMUU/s1600/DSC_0108-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uhS32q8Ffps/USjzk-1U4iI/AAAAAAAAAXU/vclxATaLMUU/s320/DSC_0108-001.JPG" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It took her about 15 minutes to finally get it all over her face!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div>With the blessing of her doctor, Love Bug has now started drinking whole milk and is weening off formula. She's eating a lot more solid food and is really&nbsp;enjoying&nbsp;feeding herself. She especially loves Cheerios and bananas. When she was an infant, she absolutely hated peas--with a passion--but since trying some not-pureed ones this past weekend, LOVES them! Score! This week we're going to start introducing our dinners blended so her palette will be more&nbsp;acclimated and diverse. I'm so incredibly thankful that my in-laws got us the Baby Bullet for our baby shower. It is one of the most used appliances in our kitchen and been such a blessing with preparing healthy,&nbsp;nutritious&nbsp;meals for Love Bug.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>She's really starting to talk, A LOT! She's learned some new words including <i>woof, bye-bye, and please. </i>It's amazing to me what she says and understands at her age! She just started picking up her toy phone and saying <i>hi</i>&nbsp;to it although hasn't quite mastered the art of getting it to her ear. She mostly just hits herself in the forehead with it. LoL!&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>So in a few of my other posts I talk about having issues with my pocket diapers not fitting Love Bug really well. I found that it's mostly the Bum Genius brand and have decided to stop using them for now. I'm not really a fan of Aplix (a type of Velcro) anyway because it's too easy for her to get undone. Plus, since the laundry tabs are worn out, the Aplix gets a TON of lint build-up. Anyway... we've decided to go back to using pre-folds and covers. I was a little bummed at first but honestly can't for the life of me remember why we ever switched! I absolutely love that she NEVER leaks and hardly ever gets a rash! We got 5 <a href="http://www.thirstiesbaby.com/products/cloth-diapers/duo-wrap/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thirsties Duo Snap Wraps</a> and I couldn't be happier.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of cloth diapers... I finally got to order the PUL fabric, FOE, snap press, and snaps to make Harrison's diaper covers. I decided to make fitted covers meaning I'll be making around 4 sets of covers until he's potty trained. The first set will fit him from birth until about 10-12 pounds, depending on his shaping. I'm a little nervous since I'm such a novice sewer but there's nothing like a little practice to get better! I'll be posting more about it on my <a href="http://onmyneedles.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">crafting blog</a>, including pictures of the PUL fabric once I get it.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the other exciting things that happened this month was being able to consistently feel Harrison kicking and hearing his heartbeat for the first time. ♥ I had a check-up this past week and Harrison is growing perfectly. :-) I just can't believe that in 16 weeks or less we will be holding another little bundle of joy! God is so amazing and has tremendously blessed our family!<br /><br />Well that's about all I have for now so until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><br />♥Courtney♥</div>http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/02/ice-fest-birthdays.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-1670412462666464147Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:32:00 +00002013-02-05T08:45:51.463-05:00One Year Ago TodayAs I'm drinking my coffee this morning and contemplating the last year of my life, wow is about all I can say. There have been many ups, downs, laughs, heartaches, tears, and smiles. There have been many milestones and firsts, especially as of late. My Love Bug is officially 1 today! I can't believe how incredibly fast this year has flown by! I'm so in love with her already and fall more in love with her every day. Until I had Little Love, I never understood what unconditional love truly was. God has blessed me and our family with amazing children, grace, and love. <3 p=""><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w4UMAGDKrFg/URD-iLCvXsI/AAAAAAAAAVc/jo22xjO_voQ/s1600/100_5762-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFoanNjjqdw/Tnd6cjKdLYI/AAAAAAAAABU/E1RxszinrY4/s1600/330688_10101525146800474_9390400_85909046_441090913_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFoanNjjqdw/Tnd6cjKdLYI/AAAAAAAAABU/E1RxszinrY4/s320/330688_10101525146800474_9390400_85909046_441090913_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our beautiful princess <3 nbsp=""><!--3--></3></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1WZw1oN-JZo/T2P3OVP1IeI/AAAAAAAAAKY/soNBlH-WTvc/s1600/100_4507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1WZw1oN-JZo/T2P3OVP1IeI/AAAAAAAAAKY/soNBlH-WTvc/s320/100_4507.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>First family pic (minus half his head)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMQYPhCCEDI/T0bzFUEdbrI/AAAAAAAAAKA/rEK9PQWuiys/s1600/467336_10102339466811644_9390400_89984059_1011703639_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMQYPhCCEDI/T0bzFUEdbrI/AAAAAAAAAKA/rEK9PQWuiys/s320/467336_10102339466811644_9390400_89984059_1011703639_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Her&nbsp;first professional&nbsp;photo shoot</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OyG12aRfEZU/T1zj8JmdoMI/AAAAAAAAAKI/iTi1RHOjyhY/s1600/100_4691-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OyG12aRfEZU/T1zj8JmdoMI/AAAAAAAAAKI/iTi1RHOjyhY/s320/100_4691-Edit.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Love her face <3 nbsp=""><!--3--></3></i></td></tr></tbody></table><!--3--></3><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w4UMAGDKrFg/URD-iLCvXsI/AAAAAAAAAVc/jo22xjO_voQ/s1600/100_5762-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w4UMAGDKrFg/URD-iLCvXsI/AAAAAAAAAVc/jo22xjO_voQ/s320/100_5762-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gU-HuA5v8Nc/ULoJE8dZe3I/AAAAAAAAAQA/FZbF5S1ymn8/s1600/P9170035-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gU-HuA5v8Nc/ULoJE8dZe3I/AAAAAAAAAQA/FZbF5S1ymn8/s320/P9170035-001.JPG" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>First time in the sand</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs1jwJ8zHl4/ULoJPFcVN0I/AAAAAAAAAQI/l5zXmp_GH08/s1600/P9170043-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs1jwJ8zHl4/ULoJPFcVN0I/AAAAAAAAAQI/l5zXmp_GH08/s320/P9170043-001.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>First ride in a swing</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qnZbbva4iEc/ULoJiq5SxHI/AAAAAAAAAQw/yf8r_mYrpig/s1600/P9190045-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qnZbbva4iEc/ULoJiq5SxHI/AAAAAAAAAQw/yf8r_mYrpig/s320/P9190045-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of my all-time favorite pics&nbsp;</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qwq4qjJ-FlY/UOrsFYfEKPI/AAAAAAAAATM/0b7jCGhMeE0/s1600/100_5965-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qwq4qjJ-FlY/UOrsFYfEKPI/AAAAAAAAATM/0b7jCGhMeE0/s320/100_5965-001.JPG" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Christmas Eve PJ's</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xkXtR3j8XHU/UOrsG7VdH8I/AAAAAAAAATY/lxu18oCEjMQ/s1600/100_5978-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xkXtR3j8XHU/UOrsG7VdH8I/AAAAAAAAATY/lxu18oCEjMQ/s320/100_5978-001.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>First Christmas present opening</i></td></tr></tbody></table>A quick run-down of her firsts:<br /><br /><b><u>February</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><br /><ul><li>Born <3 nbsp=""></3></li><li>Professional photo shoot</li><!--3--></ul><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>March</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><br /><ul><li>Check-up</li></ul><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>April</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><br /><ul><li>Easter celebration</li><li>Sleeping through the night&nbsp;</li><li>Soccer game</li></ul><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>June</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><br /><ul><li>First time at the beach &amp; putting her feet in the sand</li><li>Rolled over from front to back&nbsp;</li><li>Laugh&nbsp;</li><li>Solid food&nbsp;</li></ul><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>July</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><br /><ul><li>Birthday party (her sister's)</li></ul><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>September</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><br /><ul><li>Put her hands in the sand</li><li>Swing ride</li></ul><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>October</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><br /><ul><li>Crawl</li><li>Halloween</li></ul><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>November</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><br /><ul><li>Thanksgiving</li></ul><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>December</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b><br /><ul><li>Christmas</li><li>"Dance"</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>I know I'm missing a few and can't seem to remember/find when they happened. Speaking of my Love Bug, she just woke up so we're going to go in and sing "Happy Birthday" to her as a family.<br /><br />Until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><!--3--><!--3--></div><!--3-->♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/02/one-year-ago-today.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-7279661263585093367Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:27:00 +00002013-01-29T10:27:34.072-05:00businesscleaningdiyfamilygoalskidslifeparentingpartypregnancyDIYing - Hit or Miss Recently I have been scouring Pinterest looking for ways to be more economical not only on my wallet but also towards the environment. Something I really want to do is make my own cleaners. I sometimes have trouble with commercial cleaners because of the smells, especially now that I'm pregnant. I don't particularly like the strong smell or amount of chemicals found in commercial cleaners either. And I really don't enjoy the price tag on a lot of them.<br /><br />For the past 8 months, I've made my own powdered laundry detergent and have loved the results I get with our CD, but it doesn't seem to work as well on our clothing. My best guess is it's not working as well because we wash everything on cold except CD, which get washed on hot. The soap isn't really "melting" during the wash cycle. I found a liquid version of detergent that pretty much uses the same ingredients over at the <a href="http://oneincomefamilyliving.blogspot.com/2012/03/homemade-laundry-detergent-powder-v.html">One Income Family Living Blog</a> and she had the same observations I did. It seemed incredibly simple and doesn't have many ingredients. Plus, she raved about the liquid version she tried so I was incredibly stoked to try it but severely disappointed in the results. Now, I don't know if it didn't work well because of the type of soap I used (Soft Soap instead of Fels Naptha) or what but I was definitely bummed about it. Actually, I still am... I might give it one more go and use Fels Naptha since that's what the recipe calls for and see how that works. Moving on...<br /><br />I am in love with smells (good ones, not bad ones, in case you needed clarification). I'm a Febreeze junkie but can very rarely justify spending the money on it (even when I have a coupon), especially with how much I use it. I, of course, scoured Pinterest and the <a href="http://oneincomefamilyliving.blogspot.com/2012/01/homemade-febreeze.html">One Income Family Blog</a>&nbsp;(if you click the link it'll take you to the recipe) had a recipe and I'm in LOVE! I bought a bottle of Snuggle in the Sweet Blossoms &amp; Wildflowers scent and it smells amazing. I use it mainly on our bed linens in between washings and it's working just as well as Febreeze, plus it's ridiculously cheaper!<br /><br />Another DIY recipe I found was to make hand sanitizer. I found this recipe over at the <a href="http://www.littlehouseliving.com/little-house-living-hand-sanitizer.html">Little House Living blog</a> and I LOVE it! <i>(Hm... Pattern much??)</i> I used Up &amp; Up's green,&nbsp;moisturizing&nbsp;aloe vera gel in mine even though she says to use plain aloe vera gel. I like that it has more moisturizing properties and works just as well. It doesn't dry my hands out as much as regular&nbsp;sanitizer&nbsp;does. This is a fantastic alternative to washing your hands all the time, especially us mamas that are constantly changing diapers. I put in an old pump soap dispenser from Bath &amp; Body Works and keep it near the kitchen sink.<br /><br />The next DIY recipe I tried was making citrus infused vinegar. I really like the cleaning properties of vinegar but many times cannot stomach the smell. <i>Side note: I </i>still <i>don't understand how people put vinegar on french fries!</i>&nbsp;Over at&nbsp;<a href="http://mymerrymessylife.com/2012/11/homemade-citrus-infused-inegar.html">My Merry Messy Life</a>, she posted how to make it. It's sooooo easy! I used it for the first time this past weekend to clean my daughter's bathroom mirror and was pleasantly surprised that it cleaned just as well as Windex and left no streaks! I'll definitely be making a lot more of this to clean with. Now, I'll just have to eat more oranges. The next batch I want to make is lemon and lime.<br /><br />The next few things I would like to try are making my own liquid hand soap (we run through it like there's no tomorrow and it gets expensive), making my own pad of paper (I use these <i>all the time</i>), and making my own fabric softener. I'll give my reviews once I make and try them.<br /><br />Now on to more family oriented entertaining... I had my spring Thirty-One open house this past weekend and it was a lot of fun. Even though I only had 2 guests, it gave me a chance to sharpen up my talking points on the new products from my add-on kit, well brush up period because it's been a few months since I've had a home party. I have a party set-up next month and one in March already. I'm really hoping to get to the point where I'm doing at least 2 parties a week but would like to be doing at least 4 a week. I am working on building a team and have one lady who's about to join and another who may potentially join. My goal is to be a director by the time Harrison arrives in June.<br /><br />Speaking of... I can't believe that I'm already half-way through this pregnancy! It feels like just yesterday we found out we were pregnant and in less than 6 months, we're going to hold another little baby. I am beyond excited but also a tad apprehensive. I don't know anything about baby boys! We're still trying to figure out the&nbsp;logistics&nbsp;of where Harrison and Love Bug will sleep in relation to each other but we have some time yet. :-) In the meantime, I'm just working on establishing some&nbsp;semblance&nbsp;of a cleaning routine and actually making/knitting some things for him. On an even happier note, I got the call from my OB this morning that my glucose levels came back normal so I don't have gestational diabetes! No finger pricking 4x's a day for me!! :-)<br /><br />Well, that's about all I have for now so until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥<br /><br />P.S. If you want to check out things I'm making for my LO's, check out my crafting blog, <a href="http://onmyneedles.wordpress.com/">On My Needles</a>.http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/01/diying-hit-or-miss.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-7979042324731241516Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:59:00 +00002013-01-07T10:59:29.717-05:00Life......can be so dramatic yet so uneventful (my pondering of the day).<br /><br />Andy and I went away with our friends last month to Atlantic City. It was so much fun and much needed couples time. Andy had been on loads of overtime since September so it was nice to just spend some quality time with him. We stayed at a beautiful resort and got to swim, do karaoke, and relax in a jacuzzi and hot tub. We ate at the Rainforest Cafe for dinner and had the best&nbsp;fajitas&nbsp;we've EVER tasted! I just love the atmosphere of the restaurant. It's created just like a jungle and has lights that flicker during "rain storms" with full sounds effects. It makes conversation a tad difficult during those times but it's still a lot of fun.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nd76n2xRSK0/UOrqEGjMinI/AAAAAAAAASM/VOdXCAD5hsA/s1600/Aquarium+%2528Rainforest+Cafe%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nd76n2xRSK0/UOrqEGjMinI/AAAAAAAAASM/VOdXCAD5hsA/s320/Aquarium+%2528Rainforest+Cafe%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of many aquariums throughout the restaurant</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UZwQt4v052s/UOrqEWmZxvI/AAAAAAAAASQ/PqZPxIwJmaY/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UZwQt4v052s/UOrqEWmZxvI/AAAAAAAAASQ/PqZPxIwJmaY/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>They move and trumpet</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1lGrtOeNRvI/UOrqEeKLCUI/AAAAAAAAASU/Yrzoj3InSzg/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1lGrtOeNRvI/UOrqEeKLCUI/AAAAAAAAASU/Yrzoj3InSzg/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />I went to my first casino (well the first casino I was actually allowed<i>&nbsp;</i>on the floor) and played my first slot machine, Mr. Cashman. I only played $20 but walked away with $53.44!! Not bad for my first time! Ryan and Jill both made out with more than they came with but poor Andy got nothing! Even though he lost, we still walked out with $13 more than we walked in with. :-)<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6V_4epzoHv4/UOrqGH73BfI/AAAAAAAAASg/-4G3nHFFjn4/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6V_4epzoHv4/UOrqGH73BfI/AAAAAAAAASg/-4G3nHFFjn4/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I was so excited that I</i><u style="font-style: italic;">&nbsp;</u>actually<i>&nbsp;won!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FnUMKQRqFlY/UOrqG7VcoWI/AAAAAAAAASk/BHaue-7f43Q/s1600/photo+4-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FnUMKQRqFlY/UOrqG7VcoWI/AAAAAAAAASk/BHaue-7f43Q/s320/photo+4-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />After we finished there, we went to see Skyfall in IMAX. Oh. Em. Gee. It was <i>uh-mazing</i>! We spent the rest of the time just hanging and having quality time together. We are so thankful and grateful that our friends asked us to tag along on their weekend!<br /><br />The weeks following our trip were a whirlwind of activity and getting ready for Christmas. I did lots of shopping, prepped for Kristi's classroom party, manned the snack station at her party, had my first family Christmas get together since my grandparents passed away, Christmas morning with both girls, and Christmas day at my in-laws. Christmas was so amazing, emotional, and wonderful this year! It was emotional because it's the first Christmas without Pappy John. The Bentzels made a beautiful video chronicling many joyous moments in our lives with Pap. Even though it made us sad to watch, it was joyous to share the memories. Here's a few pics of Christmas:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qwq4qjJ-FlY/UOrsFYfEKPI/AAAAAAAAATM/0b7jCGhMeE0/s1600/100_5965-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qwq4qjJ-FlY/UOrsFYfEKPI/AAAAAAAAATM/0b7jCGhMeE0/s320/100_5965-001.JPG" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Christmas Eve PJ's</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zYReX60YyHE/UOrsF6XyRTI/AAAAAAAAATQ/5mWGlRcqcpE/s1600/100_5972-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zYReX60YyHE/UOrsF6XyRTI/AAAAAAAAATQ/5mWGlRcqcpE/s320/100_5972-001.JPG" width="223" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Little Love's Christmas Eve PJ's</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BOUIXU951vs/UOrsGGwVDNI/AAAAAAAAATU/h3ei6nwoIB0/s1600/100_5973-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BOUIXU951vs/UOrsGGwVDNI/AAAAAAAAATU/h3ei6nwoIB0/s320/100_5973-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Santa's cookies &amp; milk</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xkXtR3j8XHU/UOrsG7VdH8I/AAAAAAAAATY/lxu18oCEjMQ/s1600/100_5978-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xkXtR3j8XHU/UOrsG7VdH8I/AAAAAAAAATY/lxu18oCEjMQ/s320/100_5978-001.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Love Bug opening her first gift</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NkYyXVYidmY/UOrsHJtkivI/AAAAAAAAATc/CdjAv2yVS9s/s1600/100_5981-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NkYyXVYidmY/UOrsHJtkivI/AAAAAAAAATc/CdjAv2yVS9s/s320/100_5981-001.JPG" width="174" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>She LOVED this gift!&nbsp;</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mslv5JYBcZs/UOrsHuKFWZI/AAAAAAAAATg/1I3BNLZu5sY/s1600/100_5988-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mslv5JYBcZs/UOrsHuKFWZI/AAAAAAAAATg/1I3BNLZu5sY/s320/100_5988-002.JPG" width="277" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hEZcao_dPF4/UOrsIrcYPKI/AAAAAAAAATo/y_OcOzx-d-w/s1600/100_6013-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hEZcao_dPF4/UOrsIrcYPKI/AAAAAAAAATo/y_OcOzx-d-w/s320/100_6013-001.JPG" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My "macho" man!&nbsp;</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b1ThxY19QO8/UOrsI7rGEsI/AAAAAAAAATs/-MKz7NUqsLo/s1600/100_6014-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b1ThxY19QO8/UOrsI7rGEsI/AAAAAAAAATs/-MKz7NUqsLo/s320/100_6014-001.JPG" width="221" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>She's such a great big sister</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gSk_C9KVrio/UOrsJR8Y31I/AAAAAAAAATw/n3jJo2dPFfU/s1600/100_6031-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gSk_C9KVrio/UOrsJR8Y31I/AAAAAAAAATw/n3jJo2dPFfU/s320/100_6031-001.JPG" width="255" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beautiful girls<3 i="i"><!--3--></3></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ToyHzhPvjPA/UOrsJ2goKGI/AAAAAAAAAT0/tO2xlrKglCU/s1600/100_6033-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ToyHzhPvjPA/UOrsJ2goKGI/AAAAAAAAAT0/tO2xlrKglCU/s320/100_6033-001.JPG" width="192" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ziv4M0bsONc/UOrsKYWZNRI/AAAAAAAAAT4/glvp1g-i7OE/s1600/100_6052-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ziv4M0bsONc/UOrsKYWZNRI/AAAAAAAAAT4/glvp1g-i7OE/s320/100_6052-001.JPG" width="302" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_1bLGiAjvSw/UOrsLfjasFI/AAAAAAAAAUA/23NBFdaQwRA/s1600/100_6069-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_1bLGiAjvSw/UOrsLfjasFI/AAAAAAAAAUA/23NBFdaQwRA/s320/100_6069-001.JPG" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Shari loved her watch and earrings</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lAZAG8TcMcU/UOrsLhgoJZI/AAAAAAAAAUE/N6w1okVYkvE/s1600/100_6074-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lAZAG8TcMcU/UOrsLhgoJZI/AAAAAAAAAUE/N6w1okVYkvE/s320/100_6074-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My gypsy!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V7NWkW0HWTI/UOrsK1UOIHI/AAAAAAAAAUI/n4ugwp6Uus4/s1600/100_6061-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V7NWkW0HWTI/UOrsK1UOIHI/AAAAAAAAAUI/n4ugwp6Uus4/s320/100_6061-001.JPG" width="319" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FI7AMHf-qPg/UOrsNL_4bbI/AAAAAAAAAUU/Jiqr5uP45AE/s1600/100_6078-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FI7AMHf-qPg/UOrsNL_4bbI/AAAAAAAAAUU/Jiqr5uP45AE/s320/100_6078-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The loot!</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Some updates on Trinity... She's in the 85% for height and weight. At her 10 month check-up, she was weighing in at 21 lbs, 8 oz. and 29" long. I'm sure she's up over 22 pounds now though! She's saying, mimicking, and doing so many new things! Her vocabulary now includes Uh Oh! (her first word that she actually understands the meaning), mama, dada, pretty, mmmmm, thank you, and boo. It's amazing how aware of her surroundings she is. She copies everything! She got a Fisher Price Rock Table from the Bentzels for Christmas and from the moment she started using it, "dances". It is soooo adorable! She's learning to point at things, like the Christmas tree. That's how she learned "pretty". She absolutely melts my heart when she points at me or Kristi and says, "Pretty!" So sweet! She's tried a bunch of new foods in the past month including: pineapple, pears, yogurt (plain and vanilla),&nbsp;cantaloupe, green beans, and a bunch more I can't even remember. Unfortunately, she has an allergy to pineapple, squash, and pears. She's pulling herself on EVERYTHING! In the past few days, she's started letting go and standing. She can hold it for about 30 seconds and then plops down. She loves to pull things off the shelves and turn the DVR on and off (I think she likes looking at the blue lights turn on and off), especially in the middle of watching a program! She also loves touching and pulling down every thing that's not hers, i.e. mommy's work binder, coupon binder, etc. I think her most favorite thing to do right now is put every stinking thing she finds in her mouth! Smh... I've learned to make sure nothing is sitting around that can be put in her mouth, no matter how big, and to vacuum every or every other day. I swear she finds the most&nbsp;minuscule&nbsp;crumb on the floor, you know, the ones that are microscopic to my eye but has a red flasher sign for her! Anyway.... she's now 11 months old and I just can't believe in less than a month, she will have been on this earth for a year! Incredulous is about the only word I can think of to describe that! In other news...<br /><br />Being a Thirty-One Independent Consultant is just plain awesome! I love that I get to hang out with ladies, party, and gab (oh and have great food too)! I love that Thirty-One has helped me become a little more organized with their products but still be fashionable while being reasonably priced. I also love every thing this company stands for! Anyway... My purpose in explaining all that was to say that I'm love helping my family's financial future while enjoying what I do. Unfortunately, not many people feel that way about their "job". Well, on that note, I've got to do some "work" while Trin is napping so until next time... Much love and many blessings!!<br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2013/01/life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-5426188156614364934Sat, 01 Dec 2012 14:20:00 +00002012-12-01T09:21:27.305-05:005 Months = SlackingHas it really been that long?! Wow... I feel like a total slacker! Well in case you were wondering, no, I did not fall off the face of the earth. It's just been a tad crazy in the Kramer household!<br /><br /><b><u>July</u></b><br /><b><u><br /></u></b>My birthday, Kristi's birthday, and Kristi's birthday party.<br /><br />We didn't do anything special for my birthday. We had an amazing party for Kristi down at the Bentzel's house. The instructor of the hula-hoop troop we saw earlier this year also does birthday parties, bridal showers, etc. Kristi was so excited after seeing the troop that she just <u>had</u>&nbsp;to have Angel host her birthday party! It was such a blast and even the adults got in on the fun!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7QBzohPOTVc/ULoCMQFgg2I/AAAAAAAAANk/0OgT7zUviH0/s1600/Warm+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7QBzohPOTVc/ULoCMQFgg2I/AAAAAAAAANk/0OgT7zUviH0/s400/Warm+up.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Warming up</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3THPv5Plr8c/ULoCPMUroRI/AAAAAAAAAN8/TtqYlW3HwHk/s1600/knee+hooping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3THPv5Plr8c/ULoCPMUroRI/AAAAAAAAAN8/TtqYlW3HwHk/s400/knee+hooping.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Knee hooping (she's <u>really</u>&nbsp;good at this)</b></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ULC1JK8fb2Q/ULoCODMKyoI/AAAAAAAAAN0/3_Bc9WQTmIg/s1600/jilly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ULC1JK8fb2Q/ULoCODMKyoI/AAAAAAAAAN0/3_Bc9WQTmIg/s400/jilly.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Jill getting in on the fun</b></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QR4HZBSETno/ULoCPjkIfPI/AAAAAAAAAOE/CnkXAcySmAw/s1600/ryan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QR4HZBSETno/ULoCPjkIfPI/AAAAAAAAAOE/CnkXAcySmAw/s400/ryan.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Ryan joining in</b></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>After the hooping, we got glitter tattoos, opened gifts, and then went outside for some trampoline and faucet fun!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kFj7SS3lc9A/ULoCNbREpbI/AAAAAAAAANs/weR61GXBcoU/s1600/attacking+andy+on+the+tramp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kFj7SS3lc9A/ULoCNbREpbI/AAAAAAAAANs/weR61GXBcoU/s400/attacking+andy+on+the+tramp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Attacking Andy</b></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GGDNa1EF74M/ULoCQ_b5OpI/AAAAAAAAAOM/widKQv6ePuo/s1600/wet+time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GGDNa1EF74M/ULoCQ_b5OpI/AAAAAAAAAOM/widKQv6ePuo/s400/wet+time.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>August</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This wasn't a very eventful month.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Trin continues to grow (she's pretty much been in the 85th percentile since birth!&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had my first in-home party at Shari's as a Thirty-One consultant. It was awesome and better than I hoped for!&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kristi started second grade <3 p="p"><!--3--><!--3--></3></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JB21aKQnIQ/ULoGdyEEX4I/AAAAAAAAAOc/lf5O91nCszY/s1600/First+day+of+school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JB21aKQnIQ/ULoGdyEEX4I/AAAAAAAAAOc/lf5O91nCszY/s400/First+day+of+school.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Her favorite new outfit</b></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>September</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had my biggest sales month with my biggest in-home party.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our annual beach trip! Here's a few photo high-lights:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2QVPHGF83o/ULoIPmxhSBI/AAAAAAAAAOk/xgrNfIcdflc/s1600/P9160714-002.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2QVPHGF83o/ULoIPmxhSBI/AAAAAAAAAOk/xgrNfIcdflc/s400/P9160714-002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-maLPOFiklEc/ULoIRZyorXI/AAAAAAAAAOs/P245QV6vs9Y/s1600/P9160720-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-maLPOFiklEc/ULoIRZyorXI/AAAAAAAAAOs/P245QV6vs9Y/s400/P9160720-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">First time boogie boarding</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cN_cqowUjYg/ULoITTgR_uI/AAAAAAAAAO0/uh5-bGVQ8ys/s1600/P9160726-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cN_cqowUjYg/ULoITTgR_uI/AAAAAAAAAO0/uh5-bGVQ8ys/s400/P9160726-002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #38761d;">First wipe-out (she wasn't too amused)</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-64s4-DQ8pCY/ULoIbqc6VHI/AAAAAAAAAO8/0lAB16mhbCs/s1600/P9160730-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-64s4-DQ8pCY/ULoIbqc6VHI/AAAAAAAAAO8/0lAB16mhbCs/s400/P9160730-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6cszu9yH__o/ULoIhCrAEVI/AAAAAAAAAPE/HlcLjv70y7U/s1600/P9160734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6cszu9yH__o/ULoIhCrAEVI/AAAAAAAAAPE/HlcLjv70y7U/s400/P9160734.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kNveqBho_DI/ULoIk6pWUDI/AAAAAAAAAPM/GmrRp7B3fyQ/s1600/P9160757-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="361" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kNveqBho_DI/ULoIk6pWUDI/AAAAAAAAAPM/GmrRp7B3fyQ/s400/P9160757-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Peace!</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zREz3RuI6yI/ULoIo1MVgII/AAAAAAAAAPU/dK-L2kixNeM/s1600/P9170007-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zREz3RuI6yI/ULoIo1MVgII/AAAAAAAAAPU/dK-L2kixNeM/s400/P9170007-002.JPG" width="336" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-1q0cGHuXw/ULoIvE9pc6I/AAAAAAAAAPc/13k0jlANgvs/s1600/P9170010-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-1q0cGHuXw/ULoIvE9pc6I/AAAAAAAAAPc/13k0jlANgvs/s400/P9170010-002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #38761d;">My first Shillelaigh (ew!)</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0aMDXsv3E/ULoI4N-zEhI/AAAAAAAAAPo/r2BTHV4wMPU/s1600/P9170017-001.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="336" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0aMDXsv3E/ULoI4N-zEhI/AAAAAAAAAPo/r2BTHV4wMPU/s400/P9170017-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-siF2r9O_7vQ/ULoI_7V2wzI/AAAAAAAAAPw/Sjmjuc7zy-g/s1600/P9170025-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="331" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-siF2r9O_7vQ/ULoI_7V2wzI/AAAAAAAAAPw/Sjmjuc7zy-g/s400/P9170025-002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">She's so silly!</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCIpSrYZtvk/ULoJCudzlQI/AAAAAAAAAP4/nRu2tVBRgY4/s1600/P9170032-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCIpSrYZtvk/ULoJCudzlQI/AAAAAAAAAP4/nRu2tVBRgY4/s400/P9170032-001.JPG" width="327" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gU-HuA5v8Nc/ULoJE8dZe3I/AAAAAAAAAQA/FZbF5S1ymn8/s1600/P9170035-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gU-HuA5v8Nc/ULoJE8dZe3I/AAAAAAAAAQA/FZbF5S1ymn8/s400/P9170035-001.JPG" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #38761d;">First time putting her hands in the sand</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs1jwJ8zHl4/ULoJPFcVN0I/AAAAAAAAAQI/l5zXmp_GH08/s1600/P9170043-001.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs1jwJ8zHl4/ULoJPFcVN0I/AAAAAAAAAQI/l5zXmp_GH08/s400/P9170043-001.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xV_P5hBnoew/ULoJVbfzNwI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/aQsntNn5LJg/s1600/P9170049-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xV_P5hBnoew/ULoJVbfzNwI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/aQsntNn5LJg/s400/P9170049-001.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Cartwheeling is HARD in the sand</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GDhiZwZlui0/ULoJYYSSQlI/AAAAAAAAAQg/iNJ2MewH7WU/s1600/P9190033-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GDhiZwZlui0/ULoJYYSSQlI/AAAAAAAAAQg/iNJ2MewH7WU/s400/P9190033-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Our penguins</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9N6LD_QSk-o/ULoJd7M6CLI/AAAAAAAAAQo/RMKid8ZakjE/s1600/P9190038-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9N6LD_QSk-o/ULoJd7M6CLI/AAAAAAAAAQo/RMKid8ZakjE/s400/P9190038-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Such a sweet moment <3 font="font"><!--3--><!--3--><!--3--></3></span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qnZbbva4iEc/ULoJiq5SxHI/AAAAAAAAAQw/yf8r_mYrpig/s1600/P9190045-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qnZbbva4iEc/ULoJiq5SxHI/AAAAAAAAAQw/yf8r_mYrpig/s400/P9190045-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #38761d;">One of my all-time favorites</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UvVveWXda-A/ULoJqaxNoZI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/tCEVC3xcZlk/s1600/P9200074-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UvVveWXda-A/ULoJqaxNoZI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/tCEVC3xcZlk/s400/P9200074-002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NtXvCCqG5JE/ULoJssZAQ8I/AAAAAAAAARA/5l0Pz-rnv4A/s1600/P9210100-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NtXvCCqG5JE/ULoJssZAQ8I/AAAAAAAAARA/5l0Pz-rnv4A/s400/P9210100-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i>Her first time flying a "real" kite</i></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had a blast&nbsp;with the Echterlings&nbsp;again this year! It was a very nice, relaxing time. Megan and I got some knitting accomplished while sitting on Salty Yarn's porch and watching the kids play in the sand across the way. Next year is definitely going to be interesting... More on that in a few!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>October</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Trinity started crawling this month (and wants to learn to knit).&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ywp3PyAuHg8/ULoPPUuX55I/AAAAAAAAARU/4ZhmNM-vzdI/s1600/trinity+wants+to+learn+to+knit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ywp3PyAuHg8/ULoPPUuX55I/AAAAAAAAARU/4ZhmNM-vzdI/s400/trinity+wants+to+learn+to+knit.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kristi had her first camping, bon-fire, and s'mores experience (in our backyard).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bgzGQCDSwZ4/ULoPvbGL0HI/AAAAAAAAARc/GTz2m8iyuFc/s1600/bonfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bgzGQCDSwZ4/ULoPvbGL0HI/AAAAAAAAARc/GTz2m8iyuFc/s400/bonfire.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pmsGwc8rnCQ/ULoPv4OhuKI/AAAAAAAAARk/jWTIGs0Sw8A/s1600/kristi+smores.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pmsGwc8rnCQ/ULoPv4OhuKI/AAAAAAAAARk/jWTIGs0Sw8A/s400/kristi+smores.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She also participated in Crazy Hat/Hair Day at school!&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-esrVYgYShkk/ULoQRFyx-LI/AAAAAAAAARs/D21k04sbqHs/s1600/crazy+hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-esrVYgYShkk/ULoQRFyx-LI/AAAAAAAAARs/D21k04sbqHs/s400/crazy+hair.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our family found out this month that it will be expanding again in June, the 22nd to be exact! <3 p="p"><!--3--><!--3--></3></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>November</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We decorated our Christmas tree and put up most of the decorations.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NwRTFHESE80/ULoREWrowLI/AAAAAAAAAR0/ZNHAy6odfW4/s1600/reindeer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NwRTFHESE80/ULoREWrowLI/AAAAAAAAAR0/ZNHAy6odfW4/s400/reindeer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We spent Thanksgiving with the Bentzel's, Black Friday shopping, and saw the new Twilight movie (and it was uh-mazing!).&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Trinity is now standing up on EVERYTHING! She had her 9 mo check-up and is still in the 85th percentile for height and weight! She's eating and sleeping well and is doing great! She's hitting all her milestones either early or on-time. :-)&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I can't believe it's the beginning of December already. This year has really flown by! I'll definitely try to update this more often because as you can see, reader's digest versions just aren't in my vocab! Until next time, much love and many blessings!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">♥Courtney♥</div><!--3-->http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2012/12/5-months-slacking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-4209293361593815789Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:11:00 +00002012-06-12T15:25:50.473-04:00familyfriendskidslifeparentingOpinions and the Soap BoxSo life... it's just crazy! I'm so behind on so many things, but eh, they'll eventually get done... Maybe??<br /><br />We've spent some time running around and hanging with our awesome friends at Pinchot. <i>Side note:</i>&nbsp;<i>Our GPS couldn't pronounce the park name. We got a good chuckle when she said "Now pulling into Pin Cot Park."</i> It was a much needed break from the mundane everyday tasks! The kids definitely had a blast playing on the playground. Kris is a little monkey. I couldn't believe how much she was climbing all over the equipment.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trOUpI-aScY/T6fbCMMBHyI/AAAAAAAAALU/BQ1eFnb9bmg/s1600/100_4996-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trOUpI-aScY/T6fbCMMBHyI/AAAAAAAAALU/BQ1eFnb9bmg/s320/100_4996-Edit.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rYEgqpLRjxI/T6fbHhEpFWI/AAAAAAAAALc/KIkqias01jY/s1600/100_4997-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rYEgqpLRjxI/T6fbHhEpFWI/AAAAAAAAALc/KIkqias01jY/s320/100_4997-Edit.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M0Sziqkun4s/T6fbODoPR5I/AAAAAAAAALk/3cCSD-0CxAo/s1600/100_4999-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M0Sziqkun4s/T6fbODoPR5I/AAAAAAAAALk/3cCSD-0CxAo/s320/100_4999-Edit.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-edeoJjAX3Fs/T6fbUeGTmlI/AAAAAAAAALs/O6guK02cv2A/s1600/100_5000-Focal+B&amp;W.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-edeoJjAX3Fs/T6fbUeGTmlI/AAAAAAAAALs/O6guK02cv2A/s320/100_5000-Focal+B&amp;W.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>She was really pleased with herself!</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Megs and I knitted and chatted with Andy while he made some awesome burgers, hot dogs, and chicken (he's such a great cook) on the grill. There were many other families with their children there as well. Speaking of (yes, I'm about to get my soap box for a minute, <i>hence</i>&nbsp;the title) other families/children... There was a boy who was probably about 10. He was down in the children's play area throwing sand at our kids and just all around wasn't the nicest. The parents were no where to be found until it was time for the boy to leave. All of sudden, the dad comes over with his dog (mind you, this dog and its sibling had just run away from him not even 10 minutes earlier. Andy and Megs rounded them up for him.) and yells at the boy to get his shoes because they were leaving. Yelling doesn't usually phase me much because I understand that being a parent can be frustrating at times and sometimes you just snap at your kids. It doesn't make it right but I can say with honesty that it happens. Well, the boy decided to disobey his father and not get his shoes. Now, before I go on, I'm going to warn you that nothing I say going forward is meant to start an argument or anything of the sort. This is strictly my opinion and thoughts and I just needed to vent them because it really upset me. Moving on... The dad tied the dog to a post on the play equipment and climbed up it to get his kid. He roughly grabbed his child's arm and drug him down. The child then went over to get his shoes. The dad untied the dog and proceeded to smack the child's butt all the while screaming at him (and I'm not exaggerating when I say <i>screaming</i>). The kid of course was upset. After he got his shoes on, the dad then drug his kid back to the car while continuing to scream at him and then smacked him again...for no reason! The child's mom (or grandma??) came down at this point and said something along the lines of "...that's why everyone hates him [talking about the child]--because he doesn't listen!" Okay.. Really? Was that honestly necessary? My heart absolutely broke for this child. I agree that he needed to be disciplined, but the manner in which this family chose to do so is not right in my opinion. I believe in physically disciplining a child; however, it should always, and I repeat <i>ALWAYS</i> be done out of love and never in public. Disciplining a child is a very serious and private thing. Doing it in public undermines that seriousness and privacy. What amazed me (not in a good way) is that if that father displayed that much of a lack of self-control in public, what is he willing to do behind closed doors? I actually had tears swimming in my eyes after that display. Alright, I'm stepping down from my soap box now.<br /><br />On a more upbeat note, Kristi had her first soccer game the day before (4/28).<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhgAv08N-M8/T6fc-aiVg9I/AAAAAAAAAL0/DA0RUAjua5g/s1600/100_4933-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhgAv08N-M8/T6fc-aiVg9I/AAAAAAAAAL0/DA0RUAjua5g/s320/100_4933-Edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Warming up before the game and pictures</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z0f8oJFniQc/T6fdDRPYD5I/AAAAAAAAAL8/LM7P9LqKJ_g/s1600/100_4940-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z0f8oJFniQc/T6fdDRPYD5I/AAAAAAAAAL8/LM7P9LqKJ_g/s320/100_4940-Edit.jpg" width="178" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4I6n_vkEc-s/T6fdGN4_J_I/AAAAAAAAAME/1ur9GO7d_Pg/s1600/100_4946-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4I6n_vkEc-s/T6fdGN4_J_I/AAAAAAAAAME/1ur9GO7d_Pg/s320/100_4946-Edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yq_m6Eq_3Kc/T6fdIQvU3tI/AAAAAAAAAMM/RUsPQE9CHw0/s1600/100_4954-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yq_m6Eq_3Kc/T6fdIQvU3tI/AAAAAAAAAMM/RUsPQE9CHw0/s320/100_4954-Edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />It started out really well--we got 2 goals pretty quickly--but then went downhill, <u>fast</u>. I think the final score was 7-3? I lost count of the other teams goals. It was freezing out (and no, that's not the reason I lost count)! Speaking of...<br /><br />What is up with this weather?! I would really appreciate if Mother Nature would make up her mind. I'm all about winter but going back and forth is really getting old. Now back to your regularly scheduled programing...<br /><br />So Kris did pretty well for her first time out on the field in a competitive setting. She was kind of a party pooper after she got hit with the ball and sat out but we had a good time for the most part. Her second game went about as well as the first. She's scared of the ball (as is most of the team it seems) so she won't go up and steal it or block it. She was right next to a kid who was about to kick the ball into our net and had a great opportunity to block/steal it but she wouldn't take it. I'm not really sure how to get her over that.<br /><br />After her soccer game, we went down to Shari's and had a great time hanging out. Kristi and Sophie played outside on the trampoline and in the sprinkler. It was so funny watching them run and jump around on it. We then went to downtown Frederick. They have a thing the first Saturday of every month where all the shops are open and there's all kinds of activities going on. It's really neat. At the art gallery, there was a troop of hula-hoopers doing an&nbsp;exhibit&nbsp;of awesome tricks. They had only been doing them for about a month and a half. I was really impressed! Kristi got to show off her moves after the exhibition and she was ecstatic! We found out that the company offers birthday parties and all kinds of fun activities so we're doing that for her party this year.<br /><br />Well that about all I have for today so until next time, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2012/06/opinions-and-soap-box.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-1425377419349469780Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:58:00 +00002012-04-16T22:01:04.630-04:00goalsgodkidslifeparentingthoughtstsflweight lossNormality... Will it ever return?Normality... What is it? Right now, it's eat, change and feed Trinity, clean the sink, change and feed Trinity, load the dishwasher, change and feed Trinity, wash diapers, change and feed Trinity, etc. You get the picture... Actually, things really are finally starting to settle down here. Trinity is getting herself on some semblance of a schedule (ah.. blessed sleep!). She's now sleeping through the night and taking 3 fairly long naps a day. It's definitely been helping with getting housework, bills, etc. finished. She had her 2 month check-up last week and it went well. She weighed in at 12 pounds 5 ounces and is 23 inches long. She's in the 75 percentile for height and weight. I did talk to her doctor about the weight gain (I don't remember Kristi gaining that much that quickly) but she assured me that it's in perfect alignment with her height. She's up to eating almost 7 ounces a sitting! We started adding rice cereal to each bottle because of her narfing every time we turn around. Since starting that, she's only actually spit-up once or twice and it hasn't been much. <i><b>EDIT</b>: She's preceded to narf 3 times today (two of those being on me!) so I take that back... </i>I have to say not changing her clothes 5 times a day is nice!<br /><br />We decided before she was born that we would be using cloth diapers instead of disposables. We started out with the Thirsties Duo covers and non-bleached prefolds. The covers come in adorable patterns so when it's hot (like it is today!), she can just run around in her diaper! At first, I was a little concerned about the prefolds because they didn't seem to fit her very well. I tried different ways of folding them under the covers but she still seemed to leak a lot, especially at night. I even tried doubling&nbsp; up at night but no such luck. I have since found a new way of putting the prefold in and I haven't had any problems since (unless she sleeps for more than 4 hours)! I've also starting using the all-in-ones that I got from a friend and am in total LOVE with these! I didn't choose them to begin with because <i><b>A.</b></i> I just didn't get how to use them, and <i><b>B.</b></i> They were more expensive. Well, I see now why they cost a little more but let me tell you--it's completely worth it! <i>SIDE NOTE: They cost a little more because they go from newborn size all the way to 35 or 40 pounds depending on the brand.</i> They are especially great for sitters, on-the-go, and at night. The inserts definitely seem more absorbent than just using prefolds. (<i>Jeez, I'm such a mom!) </i>I've been using Nutty Bums, bumGenius, and FuzziBunz brands. My favorite, hands-down, is the Nutty Bums. They have so many snaps for a customized fit and work so well with Trinity. Now, my friend who gave them to me prefers the FuzziBunz and I have to admit that they are my least favorite. Every single time she wears it, she leaks--even if it's doubled up! So anyway... my goal is to get more all-in-ones and be completely switched over by the time she needs to go up to the next size in the Thirsties Duo's. And at this rate, that'll be in 2 weeks!! <br /><br />Okay.. so moving on to some goal stuff. I'm going to be completely honest with you. I suck. At goals. I make them. Then I never achieve them. I guess I don't suck at goals, per say. I'm great at making them. I'm just horrible with follow through. One goal I am succeeding at is my weight loss. Since starting, I've lost just under 15 pounds (I started almost 4 weeks ago). I'm really excited about that because I'm that much closer to fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothes! Yes, I'm going to publicly admit that I'm <i>still</i> wearing maternity clothes. And I hate it. My plan was to start exercising with Zumba this week but at the advice of my health coach, I'm going to hold off on that for another couple of weeks. I'm really excited to incorporate it into my daily regimen, but I need to start off a little slower than that. So this week, my goal is to walk at least 20 minutes each day, not including today. I'm going to pack Trinity up tomorrow and head to our local park for a walk. It'll be nice to get out of the house and spend some time in nature. With that said, if I even remotely see a stink bug, I'm heading home!<br /><br />The past few days I've actually done quiet time. I set this goal at the beginning of the year and just haven't gotten around to even attempting it. Well, I realized the other day that I just need to do it. That's it. Like Nike--not because I made it a goal or part of my daily checklist, but because I need to spend time in God's word. If I don't, how will I ever grow or know what I'm supposed to do as a follower of Jesus? Going to church on Sunday's for a brief lesson isn't enough. Something a pastor many years ago said made so much sense to me then but didn't really, really hit until just a few days ago. Going to church every week is a great thing but it can't be the only time you hear or study God's word because that makes you a lukewarm Christian. Sure, you can believe that Jesus died for your sins and you can even accept Him as your Lord and Savior. But unless you study his word, you won't grow or have a close relationship with Him. Part of my problem lies in the fact that I'm just so crazy forgetful. I asked Andy's sister how she remembers to do it, especially when she first started. She said that she remembers because one day she woke up and realized that she <i>needed</i> His word. When she said it, it made sense. But it didn't really click until just a couple of days ago. The more I read, the more I want to keep reading. I'm starting with Psalms, reading, and meditating on 2 each day. In just the few days I've been doing this, I'm already noticed how God is showing me things. One area where I struggle is finding the time to have quiet time. In the past week, I've noticed I have quiet time in the mornings and nights because I'm alone. When contemplating Psalm 5: 1-3, God showed me something in my study bible's notes. It states, "In the morning, our minds are more free from problems and then we can commit the whole day to God." Wow! Right there was the answer to my question. It's amazing to me how often God reveals His will to me through circumstances, situations, and other people! In Sunday's sermon, Manny closed with that our lifeline is our relationship with Jesus. I want my lifeline to be as secure as possible so I know this is something that I need.<br /><br />I'm totally in love with <a href="http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/">New Release Tuesday</a>. I've been a member of this site for many years but have never really utilized or explored it until a few weeks ago. They have free music downloads every week and an album preview. Today is the first day I've utilized the album preview--Thousand Foot Krutch. It's uh-mazing! It's being released tomorrow and I'm totally going to have to get it because it's just. that. good. If you enjoy Christian music, especially free, I highly recommend checking it out!<br /><br /><br />http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2012/04/normality-will-it-ever-return.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-5889928961482431525Sat, 17 Mar 2012 02:32:00 +00002012-03-16T22:58:04.757-04:00familygodFive Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1WZw1oN-JZo/T2P3OVP1IeI/AAAAAAAAAKY/soNBlH-WTvc/s1600/100_4507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xGSdqVgMPYU/T2P2WbELEZI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/Ku3XDuL5U08/s1600/PICT0747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xGSdqVgMPYU/T2P2WbELEZI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/Ku3XDuL5U08/s320/PICT0747.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table>5 years ago today, I came home from a spring break trip to Chicago. While in the grand scheme of things that doesn't sound like something that would normally be "important", it is one of the most important days of my life. It's the day that marked the beginning of my husband and I's relationship. Wow... 5 years ago... On one hand, I can't believe it's been that long and on the other it feels like forever. In the past 5 years, we have had many ups and downs, laughs and cries, joys and heartaches. In the past 5 years, we have shared our hopes and dreams, loves and hates, and intimate details that no one else but us knows. God has given my daughter and I an incredible gift in the man I now call my husband. He is the most amazing person I have ever met. He loved me unconditionally from the very beginning--no strings attached--just the way Jesus does. It amazes me how much this man makes me want to be a better person. He took my broken soul, spirit, self-confidence, and worth and brought me back to life. He gently and lovingly steered me in the right direction, especially those times I didn't want to go. He loves God with all his heart and tries each and has shown that to me since day 1. Because of him and God's love, I have found my way back to living my life for Christ and I can't thank Andy enough for that. He is my rock when things get tough and the one person who truly rejoices in all that we face. He is my love and I am so thankful that God has blessed not only me, but my family with an amazing and loving man. Happy Anniversary Andy! I love you and look forward to many, many more years with you! XOXOXOXO!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pqjj8OO6rhA/T2P6jTvTPkI/AAAAAAAAAKs/5yD_qNY-09c/s1600/PICT1845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pqjj8OO6rhA/T2P6jTvTPkI/AAAAAAAAAKs/5yD_qNY-09c/s320/PICT1845.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>08'</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i5cgPjT5cGM/T2P5V937irI/AAAAAAAAAKg/zZLFc5PfHbc/s1600/100_0168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i5cgPjT5cGM/T2P5V937irI/AAAAAAAAAKg/zZLFc5PfHbc/s320/100_0168.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>09'</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eixBEQeYY24/T2P7WbGFjZI/AAAAAAAAAK0/EWp91TnmTKE/s1600/100_1072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eixBEQeYY24/T2P7WbGFjZI/AAAAAAAAAK0/EWp91TnmTKE/s320/100_1072.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>10'</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qRTUGkXzgdQ/T2P9aZF4nrI/AAAAAAAAALE/wFhQnX8rh00/s1600/IMG_9329-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qRTUGkXzgdQ/T2P9aZF4nrI/AAAAAAAAALE/wFhQnX8rh00/s320/IMG_9329-5.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>11'</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7GT0wlPLepw/T2P7rL1olBI/AAAAAAAAAK8/F76-pXCeo5c/s1600/PICT3957-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7GT0wlPLepw/T2P7rL1olBI/AAAAAAAAAK8/F76-pXCeo5c/s320/PICT3957-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>11'</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1WZw1oN-JZo/T2P3OVP1IeI/AAAAAAAAAKY/soNBlH-WTvc/s1600/100_4507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1WZw1oN-JZo/T2P3OVP1IeI/AAAAAAAAAKY/soNBlH-WTvc/s320/100_4507.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr style="color: black;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>12'</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2012/03/5-years-ago-today-i-came-home-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994231016408116591.post-8231497336372827377Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:17:00 +00002012-03-11T14:17:32.085-04:00cleaningfamilyfriendsgoalshousekidslifeparentingrecipesspringthoughtsweight lossSchedulesI find this to be the most difficult thing about being a mom. Trinity not really being on any kind of schedule yet is definitely throwing a monkey wrench in my routine, especially housework. I know that I need to get a handle on this because Kristi is going to be starting soccer in a few weeks and I've got a few projects coming up as soon as spring hits. Speaking of...<br /><br />We're so excited to be getting our yard finished this year! We have so many landscaping ideas for our house but haven't been able to start any of them because the yard needs the final grating and top soil (don't ask). The thing I'm most excited about is being able to get my veggie garden going. My goal is to sustain our family year round on the veges I grow. I'm not really sure if this will be feasible this year since I'm very new to this and don't have a very good track record of having a green thumb (right mom?)! I have a feeling this will be a learning year and I'm okay with that.<br /><br />I've been trying to find ways to not only save our family money but also helping our environment. Growing our own vegetables (and eventually some fruits as well), making my own cleaners and detergents are just a few ways I've been trying to be more green. I recently made my own bathroom cleaner from a post I saw on Pinterest. I have to say that I'm loving not only it's cleaning power but also the price and non-chemical smell. (If you'd like to learn how, check out my <a href="http://pinterest.com/ckramer528/everyday-uses/">Everyday Uses</a> board on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>.) Let's just say that vinegar and Dawn are my new best friends! I also recently made detergent for our dishwasher and am loving it as well! For about $12, we got all the ingredients and one batch should last us between 3-4 months (doing one load of dishes a day). We were paying upwards of $6 for the store bought kind and we were lucky if the container lasted 2 weeks! The dishes get squeaky clean and I'm noticing that we're not getting any kind of spotting on our dishes anymore either--double score! The next DIY project I'm going to tackle is making my own hand soap and laundry detergent. I'm a big fan of scented soaps, especially from Bath &amp; Body Works. but notice they zap all moisture out of my hands (even the moisturizing ones)! <i>On a side note, I think it's a conspiracy because if the soaps dry out your hands, then you'll have to buy their lotions as well.</i> I just love that making things yourself can save a ton of money and let's face it, who doesn't want to save money? Plus, there's a pride factor in knowing exactly what is in your cabinets and where it came from. Moving on...<br /><br />Baby Kramer (a.k.a. Trinity/Gizmo/Chunky Monkey) is growing like a weed already. She had her first check-up this past week. She weighs 9 pounds 1.4 ounces and is finally starting to fill out her 0-3 months clothing. We've been having some feeding issues since coming home from the hospital but we seem to have them mostly resolved. We've unfortunately had to start supplementing her with formula and rice cereal (as per her doctor's instructions). The breast milk and regular formula are just too thin and she keeps narfing them up so we're adding rice cereal to the breast milk and switched her to the rice starch added formula. I was really hoping we wouldn't have to introduce formula but we just don't see any other choice at the moment. I really think she's starting to look more and more like Andy which is good. (I really think he was starting to get a complex!) I just can't believe that she's 5 weeks old already! Here's one of her more recent photos:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OyG12aRfEZU/T1zj8JmdoMI/AAAAAAAAAKI/iTi1RHOjyhY/s1600/100_4691-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OyG12aRfEZU/T1zj8JmdoMI/AAAAAAAAAKI/iTi1RHOjyhY/s320/100_4691-Edit.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>For being a shutterbug most of the time I've been really lax about taking pictures the past few months. I'll have to make a mental note to take my camera with me everywhere.<br /><br />Last weekend we got to hang out with the Wilt family and it was great spending time with them (we don't get to see them very often). Jill showed us the most hilarious clip that I wanted to share with you because I just died laughing while watching it!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/8i_WpYc3YI4/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8i_WpYc3YI4&fs=1&source=uds" /> <param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /> <embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8i_WpYc3YI4&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>I don't have too much to update on goals yet except for weight loss. I'm not really doing anything special yet but am down 24 pounds since giving birth. I only have 14 more to lose to hit my pre-pregnancy weight! I can't wait to rev that up more with exercise, which I'll be able to introduce in another week or so. I'm going to start Zumba and am totally stoked about it! I'm also going to be trying some new recipes this week that will hopefully aid in my weight loss. One snack I would like to try is <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/191825265348306104/">homemade potato chips</a>. I love crunchy snacks like celery, carrots, etc. but sometimes would like to have potato chips. I don't really like all the salt and additives they have so I want to see how healthy homemade ones can be. Another snack food I really want to try is <a href="http://www.alisonsweeney.com/post/healthy-super-bowl-party-snack-spiced-chickpeas">spicy roasted chickpeas</a>. I probably won't make them too spicy since it's something I'm hoping Kristi will eat. It would be a great snack food to send in her lunches! This past week I did try a couple of new recipes. I found a recipe for crock pot <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/191825265348125872/">honey sesame chicken</a> and it's amazing! Although this recipe isn't one that would aid in weight loss (at least I don't think it would), it's one that will be at least a once-a-month dish. My husband really doesn't like honey and he fell IN LOVE with this recipe (as did my 6 year old and we all know how picky she can be!). I also made a <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/191825265348125872/">crock pot chicken tortilla soup</a> and it was pretty good too. It definitely needs some sour cream and cheese added but other than that, it's simple to make and pretty flavorful. I was hoping to find a recipe that is similar to the kind Smokey Bones used to sell but that hasn't happened yet. I also tried the <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/191825265348194623/">pumpkin pie smoothies</a> I found on Pinterest (actually all the recipes I tried were from Pinterest). This was the recipe I was most excited about trying and was actually let down. To me, it just didn't taste right. I'm going to try making it again but lessen the amount of pumpkin puree and add more milk. I think the pumpkin puree flavor is too overpowering, even when adding a Truvia packet to sweeten it. I'll let you know how the second batch turns out. <br /><br />I keep saying this but I really do need to update more so these posts don't get so incredibly long. Until next though, much love and many blessings!<br /><br /><br />♥Courtney♥http://thekramermenagerie.blogspot.com/2012/03/schedules.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Courtney Kramer)0